


Somewhere Only We Know

by Psychic101



Category: Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Family, Fergus Fraser has ADHD, Romance, School, teacher
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:41:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 32,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27689771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Psychic101/pseuds/Psychic101
Summary: Jamie Fraser is a single dad raising his 7-year-old son Fergus with the help of his family. After being expelled, Fergus attends a new school with a teacher who specializes in teaching children with ADHD- Claire Beauchamp. Fergus finally gets the help he needs to succeed in school while Jamie gets what he thought he'd never have. True love. Jamie thought being a single dad was the hardest thing in the world but then again, he's never secretly dated his son's teacher either. Set in modern-day Scotland.Previously named "Nous Sommes Prêts (We Are Ready)"
Relationships: Brian Fraser/Ellen MacKenzie Fraser, Claire Beauchamp/Jamie Fraser, Geillis Duncan/Dougal Mackenzie, Jenny Fraser/Ian Murray, Murtagh Fraser/Jocasta MacKenzie Cameron Innes
Comments: 202
Kudos: 360





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It didn't occur to me that some people might not know what ADHD is so I'll give a brief description. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is "a chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness". The definition alone screams Fergus to me. I'm basing Fergus and Jamie off my niece who has ADHD and her parents. Not all, but some children end up having difficulties in school. ADHD can look different depending on who the person is and it's treated differently as well. I have a friend who manages his ADHD with medication while my niece doesn't take any and uses lifestyle choices instead. 
> 
> Hopefully, this answers some of the questions some of you had.

Jamie set his coffee mug down onto the counter and sighed in resolution once that clock showed six. It was time to start the day. He lifted himself from the kitchen chair and quickly climbed the stairs to make sure his son was up and ready. It was an important day and they couldn’t afford to be late. Jamie knocked on the door a single time before swinging it open to reveal a blue-covered room. In the middle of the blue carpeted floor was a boat-shaped bed that held the sleeping body of a 7-year-old boy.

Fergus absolutely loved the water. Unlike most kids, Jamie had to drag his son out of baths instead of in them. Fergus would happily spend all day in any body of water; decorating his room to resemble an ocean with a pirate ship for a bed was Jamie’s way to reassure Fergus of his stature. He was loved and cared for. And as long he had his Da and pirate ship, he was home.

“Fergus?” Jamie gently shook the small boy. “It’s time to get up, mon fils.” Jamie smiled as Fergus let out an overdramatic yawn and stretched his arms.

“Good morning, Papa.” Fergus smacked his lips.

“Are ye ready? It’s yer first day at the new school.” Jamie sat onto the blue linen-covered mattress.

“No,” Fergus shook his head moving to sit up. “Why do I have start a new one? Can’t I stay with you? School is…” Fergus paused trying to find the word. “bête.” He finished unable to think of the English equivalent.

“School is important, laddie, ye need an education. Now, c’mon. We’re behind as it is.” Jamie leaned forward and placed a kiss on the middle of Fergus’s forehead. “I ken yer nervous, but it’ll be all right. I’ll be with ye.” Jamie promised standing up and extending his hand for the young boy.

“You promise, Papa?”

“Ye have my word, always.”

Fergus decided that his father’s word would have to be enough and begrudgingly took his hand. After his words of reassurance, they settled into their daily routine. Fergus dressed in the clothes he’d picked the night before while Jamie returned to the kitchen to make a balanced breakfast. Precisely fifteen minutes later Fergus would walk down the stairs fully dressed with his backpack in hand and then sit into his designated chair. Today, Fergus wore a purple polo with horizontal green stripes, blue jeans, and his sky blue Converse.

He would eat the meal placed before him while Jamie did his best to wrangle the thick curly brown mop that Fergus called hair. By this point in time, Jamie was very skilled at brushing out the curls with little discomfort to Fergus. He would brush the tangles out before once again trying and failing to convince Fergus to wear his hair in a tie. 

“I want to be like you, Papa. You wear your hair down.”

“My hair isna as long as yer’s.”

Jamie could never actually manage to tame Fergus’s curls. The only goal Jamie had in mind was to keep the hair from tightening into knots, besides that the hair was free to do whatever it pleased; typically sticking up to the point where you couldn’t even tell Fergus had his hair brushed at all.

Jamie put the hairstyling supplies back into their appropriate container before sitting down and joining Fergus for breakfast with his cup of coffee. Jamie would listen as Fergus talked about anything and everything. It was often nonsense and Jamie struggled to keep up with his son’s wandering mind. The boy couldn’t focus on one topic for more than a few seconds at a time. How Fergus started with dinosaurs and twenty seconds later ended up with trains Jamie had no idea. He found his son adorable and entertaining so he didn’t mind the rambling and constant content switches.

By seven, Jamie was locking the front door as Fergus waited patiently by the car. Jamie placed his travel mug on the roof of the car and helped Fergus buckled himself into the booster seat. Fergus knew how, of course, he’d known for a couple of years but Jamie always checked to make sure it was done correctly. Once he was satisfied, Jamie took his spot in the driver’s seat and they began the journey to school.

The ride started as it did every other day. Fergus continued his conversation from breakfast while Jamie drove and chimed in when he could. But once the school came into their sight Fergus went uncharacteristically quiet. Jamie knew he was nervous. He was always nervous when he moved classrooms, but this time he was changing schools. Jamie’s heart broke at the look on his son’s face.

Fergus had been labeled ‘difficult’ by the teachers of his school as well as the district of Broch Mordha. All of the teachers at this point refused to have Fergus in their class. They claimed he required far more care than they could give and that it wasn’t fair to the rest of the class. Jamie knew it was their polite school-political way of saying they just didn’t want to deal with Fergus. With everyone unwilling to take him it was firmly “suggested” that Fergus move schools.

Not knowing what else to do Jamie turned to his uncle Colum MacKenzie. Colum was the headmaster of a small school located twenty minutes from their home and was more than willing to expedite his great-nephew’s acceptance into the school. He had a new teacher whose skills he wanted to test and Fergus needed a school. Colum figured the situation was a win-win.

Colum had only given Jamie a brief description of the new faculty member. Their name was Randall and they came with many recommendations. Randall wasn’t just a teacher but also held a degree in psychology making them equipped to handle children like Fergus, children with ADHD. Colum assured Jamie that Fergus’s classroom would be smaller with half as many students as normal. Fergus would be able to get the one-on-one time he needed with a teacher while not being completely isolated. 

Jamie parked the car and together they stared at the playground full of children in front of them. Jamie took a deep breath and a final sip of his coffee before exiting the car and helping Fergus do the same. Hand in hand they walked to the front of the school.

“Look lad, it’s yer uncle Dougal.” Jamie pointed to a figure waiting for them by the entrance. Dougal MacKenzie had been thrilled when Jamie told him Fergus would be joining the school. Though Jamie suspected Dougal wasn’t fond of him, Dougal seemed to love Fergus and that’s all Jamie could truly ask for.

“Fergus!” Dougal held up a hand for a high-five which Fergus happily reciprocated with a loud, hard smack. “Will ye be joinin’ my team? I could use such a braw lad like ye.” Dougal was talking about his famed junior football team. As the physical education instructor, Dougal led all the sports activities on campus and he was the only person, besides Jamie, to openly encourage Fergus’s hyperactivity though to an extreme degree.

“Let him get settled first, Uncle, then we’ll see,” Jamie answered opening his hand for Fergus to take once more.

“Oncle?” Fergus asked, looking up at Dougal as they entered the school.

“Yes?”

“What’s my teacher like? Is he nice?”

Dougal gave him a nod and whispered to Jamie, “She's verra nice and she’s a looker as well, if I dinna ken she was a teacher I might o’ thought she was a whore.” Jamie gave his uncle a pointed look in response. “Och, well, good luck Fergus. I’ll see ye later.” Dougal disappeared without another word much to Jamie’s relief. They walked towards Colum’s office and Jamie sat Fergus down on the bench outside.

“I’m goin’ in to speak wi’ Colum. Ye stay put, ye hear?”

“Oui, Papa.” Fergus nodded. Jamie kissed the top of Fergus’s hair before knocking on the office door and shutting it behind him once Colum ushered him.

Fergus sat alone on the bench and swung his legs back and forth. He wasn’t tall enough for his feet to firmly plant on the ground but enough for the bottom of his shoe to graze the tile. He stared at the brightly colored walls around him as he waited for his father. He closed his eyes and leaned his back continuing to swing his feet out.

He jumped when a body hit his legs and landed on the floor with a curse.

“I’m so sorry!” Fergus shouted jumping off the bench and scrambling to gather the papers scattered on the floor. “Please don’t tell my Papa. He hates when I kick.”

“I agree with your father and wait…” The woman looked up at Fergus with wide whiskey eyes. “Is that a French accent? Do you speak French?”

“Oui, Madame.” Fergus nodded. “Je suis vraiment désolé de vous avoir fait tomber.” ( _I’m so sorry for causing you to fall)_

“Comme c'est merveilleux,” she responded. ( _How marvelous)_

“Thank you.”

“Very interesting,” The woman sat on her knees with a wide smile. “You have both a French and Scottish accent.”

“I am French, but Papa is a Scott,” Fergus explained. “I suppose I have to have both.”

The woman chuckled, “And what’s your name?”

“Fergus Fraser.”

“Ah, so you’re Fergus? My name is Claire Beauchamp, I’m going to be your teacher. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Oh, Lord in Heaven, Fergus.” Jamie sighed seeing his son and Claire on the floor. “I’m so sorry, Madam.”

“It’s all right, I just accidentally slipped and your son was kind enough to help me.” Claire winked at Fergus and accepted Jamie’s hand to help her stand.

“Papa!” Fergus jumped up to stand next to Jamie.

“Madame Beauchamp speaks French and she’s a Sassenach!”

“Sassenach?” Claire frowned looking at Jamie. “Isn’t that a derogatory term?”

“Fergus,” Jamie hissed, grabbing Fergus’s shoulder to pull him closer. “He means no offense, Madam, a Sassenach is an Englishmen or outlander at most. He truly dinna mean it in a bad way, ye ken.” He bit his lip. “James Fraser, ye’ve met my son, Fergus.”

“I have,” Claire smiled down at Fergus. “Your son is quite a character and I’m looking forward to getting to know him this year. I’m Claire Beauchamp, his teacher.”

“Beauchamp?” It was Jamie’s turn to frown. “No, his teacher is Randall.”

Claire sighed, “Randall is my married name, I’m trying to get away from it if you get my meaning.”

“I do.” Jamie nodded.

“Wonderful,” Claire smiled at them both. “Would you like to continue this in the classroom?” She motioned down the hall.

“O' course,”

Jamie stood rooted as Fergus began following Claire to the classroom. Dougal was right. She was absolutely stunning, but very much not a whore.


	2. Chapter 2

Jamie watched from the small but very uncomfortable chair as Claire and Fergus spoke together quietly. They were leaning over a piece of paper; Fergus drew as Claire talked to him. Jamie wasn't close enough to hear what they were talking about it but it was obvious that Fergus was enjoying himself. For the first time in a long time, Fergus seemed genuinely happy to be at school. Every few minutes he would glance up from the paper to smile or laugh at whatever Claire had said.

Jamie was amazed.

Fergus could never sit completely still; he always had some part of his body moving. Usually, it was his lower limbs, his legs would continuously bounce or he would tap his foot restlessly on the ground. Most people became annoyed at his constant sounds and movement rather quickly, his previous teacher had only lasted a couple of minutes before asking Fergus politely to stop. Fergus would do his best, of course, but he could never stop his body. Then the teacher would get frustrated with him, they often attributed his high-energy and lack of bodily control to disobedience and would thus resort to yelling and punishment to get him to cease. But not Claire.

She didn’t seem to mind as Fergus fidgeted beside her. She sat next to him with a constant smile on her face and what seemed like all the patience in the world. She would ask Fergus a question, Jamie knew because she would look expectedly at Fergus for a response, but she never pushed him. She simply sat and waited for him to answer in his own time. Sometimes he would respond right way, but more often than not, he would continue to draw and answer a few moments later.

Claire and Fergus moved flawlessly from English to French throughout their conversation. She would ask a question in either language and whatever he used in response she would continue with. If she asked a question in English and he responded in French, her next question would be in French. Fergus was fluent in both but preferred French over English sometimes; especially whenever he was particularly frustrated. He would be stuck in French and couldn’t seem to switch back to English until he was calm. This had been another issue with his previous teachers.

The first time Fergus slipped into French and couldn't calm himself down to switch back, his teacher had disciplined him. Fergus came home that day completely distraught. It took Jamie over an hour to figure out what had happened. When he'd finally understood, Jamie had been seething in rage. He'd immediately called the principal and demanded a meeting the very next morning. The next day, Jamie dropped Fergus off with Jenny believing the boy deserved a day off before heading down to the school. Jamie hadn't given the headmaster a chance to speak, he spent the entirety of the meeting yelling at the man who did his best to sink into his desk chair. Jamie ended the meeting with a single threat. If they ever punished Fergus for anything like that again, Jamie would go directly to the school board and aim to have the headmaster removed from his position.

After he left the school, still dripping with rage, Jamie had gone out and bought Fergus his first cellphone. Fergus was to have it on him at all times and immediately call his Papa whenever he began to feel frustrated. Jamie had programmed the phone with all the emergency numbers Fergus would need: himself, Jenny, Ian, Murtagh, even Colum, and Dougal were in his contact list. The phone had already come in handy several times. And despite his hyperactivity and general lack of attention, Fergus took good care of it. It was an old prepaid flip-phone but Fergus treated it as the most expensive thing in the world.

“Papa!”

Jamie who was lost in thought jumped when Fergus suddenly appeared before him leaving a smiling Claire back at the table.

“May I go out and play, s'il vous plaît? Madame Beauchamp said it was okay.”

“Aye,” Jamie nodded, “if it’s okay with her then it’s fine wi’ me.”

Fergus gave him a smile and a wave to Claire before charging out of the room and onto the playground. Jamie stood and walked to the window so he could keep an eye on him. Fergus quickly found his cousin Young Ian and together the two raced around the blacktop with a little blonde girl in tow. Jamie now had absolutely no doubts about moving Fergus to the school, in fact, he kicked himself for not doing it sooner. It was completely out of the way; Jamie would have to adjust their routine to accommodate the change and push back his work but the look of pure joy on Fergus’s face made it completely worth it.

“He’s a bright young man,” Claire said, standing next to Jamie. “He’s got quite the imagination and a large amount of amiability. After reading his file that was the last thing I expected to see.”

“What do ye mean?” Jamie turned to look at Claire.

“Well, I’ve seen the notes his previous teachers left on him. They all make him out to be some uncontrollable vagabond. Most children who went through what he did, the way those teachers responded to him, tend to be closed off to new adults, some are downright hostile. They expect new adults to act like the ones before them so they repeat the mannerisms they were forced to adopt but Fergus…” she trailed off watching Fergus. “He was completely open with me.” She looked back at Jamie.

"He was sociable and kind. I wouldn't have blamed him for dismissing or even ignoring me. But he made every effort to contribute to the conversation. He sees the good in people, he's an exceptional young boy, you should be very proud of him."

“I am,” Jamie nodded with a large smile. “He’s been through a lot. It’s just me and him, ye ken? Sometimes I worry that I’m no’ enough for him.”

Claire gave him a bright smile and placed a gentle hand on his arm. The moment she touched his skin Jamie felt a warm wave wash over him.

“From what I’ve seen so far you’re doing an excellent job with him. It’s clear you love him with all your heart and he obviously feels the same about you.” She gave his arm a light squeeze before withdrawing it away from his body. “So, what are your concerns, Mr. Fraser?”

“Och, call me Jamie, please, Mr. Fraser was my Da.”

She chuckled and another pleasant wave engulfed him.

“All right, Jamie, what are your concerns? What do you think Fergus needs to work on? What should I know about him?”

“My concerns?” Jamie paused. “Weel… I guess I wouldna mind if he finished his thoughts before going to the next one.”

Claire nodded, “Yes, I noticed he jumps around a lot.”

Jamie walked away from Claire and grabbed Fergus’s backpack, he took out a laminated paper and returned to Claire and handed it to her. “I ken ye canna promise me anything but if ye could stick to this schedule as much as possible I would be grateful.” Jamie moved behind her so they both could see the paper. “He does really well when he sticks to his routine.”

"Routines are great for children, especially those with ADHD, it gives them a sense of security and helps them establish proper behaviors. Is he on any medication?"

“No!” Jamie shouted immediately. “I mean, no.” He lowered his voice. “Fergus is just a boy, he doesna need medication pumped through his body, he does just fine.”

“Of course.”

“If ye flip it over,” he watched as Claire flipped the paper. “These are all emergency numbers, he has his own phone but just in case they’re here as well.”

“Fergus is more than welcome to have his phone on him but I have a rule about electronics in my classroom. I don’t want him on it during class.”

"Aye, he kens it's only for emergencies," Jamie said. "Now, always call me first. If I dinna answer, for whatever reason, call his auntie, my sister Jenny." He pointed at Jenny's name and number. "If ye canna get her, then Murtagh."

“Aren’t Colum and Dougal family? Wouldn’t it be easier to get them?”

“Technically, yes, they are. But they dinna ken how tae… calm him. Colum would only try tae call someone else and Dougal would just have him run around. I ken they’re close but please, only as a last resort.”

“Got it.”

“Ye ken Fergus speaks French but he’s learning Gaelic too.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know Gaelic.”

Jamie laughed, "I wasna expecting ye too. He has flashcards in his bag if ye could just make sure he goes over them."

“I will.”

Jamie closed his eyes and took a deep breath. She was standing so close to him that all he could smell was lavender. He wasn't sure if it was her perfume or soap, but it was intoxicating to him. He'd never liked the smell of lavender before, it usually made him tense, but apparently, when it was on her he enjoyed it. 

“Thank you, Jamie, for this.” She turned around to face him and was surprised to find him so close.

“Sorry,” He muttered, taking a small step back.

“That’s completely all right,” She smiled at him. “It’s time for class to start,” she motioned him towards the door.

"I should say goodbye to Fergus," Jamie said, trying to find his son amongst the crowd of children. 

"He'll be fine," Claire assured him, taking his arm once more and leading him towards the door. When she noticed his hesitance she walked over to her desk and returned with a card. "I don't normally do this; it's extremely inappropriate, but here." She placed the card in his palm. "This is my cell number, you can call me with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your son."

Jamie examined the card, “Doctor Beauchamp, is it? Here I thought ye were just a teacher.”

“I’m no more just a teacher than you are a man.” She blushed realizing her awkward wording. “I mean, you’re a father and a man, obviously, I-I- bloody Hell this isn’t coming out right.”

“It’s okay, I ken yer meaning.”

“I think you should leave before I make an even bigger fool of myself.” They both chuckled.

“I have a hard time believing you could do such a thing,” Jamie tucked the card in his pocket and began moving towards the door. He stopped just at the threshold and turned back to Claire. “I’m leaving ye wi’ my most precious treasure, Sassenach, take care o’ him.”

Claire almost laughed but the look on his face was completely stoic. He was being serious; it was an honest plea to watch over and take care of his son. It was the highest honor that a parent could bestow upon a person; absolute trust that the other person would protect their child, and Claire didn’t blame Jamie for being so wary. Neither Fraser had a lot of positive experiences with adults in such a manner.

"I will." She promised. Jamie gave her a single nod before turning and walking down the hall. Claire watched him go, letting her eyes trail down his muscled back to his firm arse until he was out of her sight. She didn't know why but Claire felt a loss like never before... and a sudden need to be as close to Fergus Fraser as possible. 


	3. Chapter 3

Jamie couldn’t believe two weeks had flown by so quickly. Fergus, for the first time in his life, was excited to go to school. Jamie no longer had to drag Fergus out of bed and through his morning routine. There were no more meltdowns or excuses to stay home, Fergus now eagerly jumped by the car as he waited for Jamie to buckle him in. He would happily fidget on their drive to school and talk about whatever activity Madame Beauchamp had planned for the class that day.

Jamie had to start his goodbye’s in the car because as soon as Fergus was unbuckled and the door swung open he shot off like a light to meet his friends. Jame would shut the car door and make sure Fergus was safely in the school or on the playground before driving back the way they’d come for work. He would arrive at work on time, as always, and toil through his day. Though he always had his mobile on him, he expected less and less each day that the school would call. 

Even though Claire had offered an open line of communication regarding Fergus, Jamie had yet to utilize it. Instead, he got all the updates he needed from Colum. Fergus was well beloved by the staff, partially due to his family connection, but also due to his overly friendly personality. Jamie knew his son was personable but hadn’t expected Fergus’s friend group to expand so quickly. He played with his cousins, Ian and Margaret, and had added many new children to his social group. His new favorite friends were young Rabbie and Marsali.

Rabbie was the son of Jenny’s housekeeper Mary MacNab, so the boys knew each other quite well before joining the same school. Jamie wasn’t surprised to find that their bond was formed quickly and strongly. Marsali, on the other hand, was a different story. Her mother was Laoghaire MacKimmie, a woman Jamie absolutely loathed, that fact combined with Fergus’s general lack of interest in girls his own age led to a rather mismatched friendship. Jamie wasn’t sure what had drawn the two children together but as long as Fergus was happy Jamie wouldn’t object. Even if that meant he had to interact with Laoghaire. 

Besides his somewhat questionable choices in friends, Jamie and the rest of the family were overly thrilled with Fergus’s new found success in school. Jenny claimed it was being surrounded by family and familiar faces all day, Ian said it was the fresh environment, but Jamie knew it was really all because of Claire. Because she was willing to work and be patient with Fergus. Their class was cut in half allowing Claire to spend an ample amount of time with each student to help with their individual needs. 

Fergus proudly claimed that Madame Beauchamp had taken a liking to him, that although she spent time with each student she spent more with him than anyone else. He said it was due to his “oozing French charm”, however, Jamie was sure it was just their affinity to the language more than anything else. Hearing about his day with Caire had quickly become the new highlight of Jamie’s day.

Jamie couldn’t get the woman out of his head. He wanted to attribute his fondness for her as strictly professional. She meant a lot to Fergus and had clearly made an impact on the young boy educationally, apparently, on Jamie as well. He could still vividly remember her lavender aroma, her bright whiskey eyes, the way the edges of her hair curled and framed her cheeks...

Jamie was dragged out of his thoughts by the shrill ringing of his mobile. He pressed the green accept button on his touch screen without noticing the caller ID. 

“Hello?” he grunted into the phone as he straightened himself in his desk chair.

“Weel, hello tae ye too,” The deep voice of his godfather made him smile. 

“Murtagh,” Jamie said. “What can I do for ye, ghoistidh?” 

“I need yer help,” Murtagh said. “I had a job scheduled this afternoon but I canna find Kincaid, he’s no’ answerin’ his phone. I’m a man short.”

“Rupert and Angus?”

“Agh,” Murtagh clicked his tongue. “Ye ken those two numpties are no use alone together, I need ye to help mind them and lift some boxes since yer there.” 

Jamie sighed and checked his watch, “I have to pick up Fergus from school,”

“Let Jenny!” Murtagh interrupted him. “She’s got to pick up her own bairns, she can take him as well. I’m sure the lad won’t mind.” 

Jamie nodded in agreement. Fergus definitely wouldn’t mind, he loved spending time at the farm with his cousins. Jenny certainly wouldn’t mind the extra pair of hands for evening chores either. 

“Besides,” Murtagh continued. “After everything I do for ye, ye can help me out,”

“All right,” Jamie said, knowing Murtagh was going to try and guilt him. “I’ll be there, I just need to run home and change into my gym clothes first and do a quick check wi’ Jenny.”

“I’ll text ye the address, see ye in a bit, mo caraidh.” 

Jamie ended the call and sent Jenny a text asking her to grab Fergus from school. She responded moments later with an affirmative yes and a promise of a hot dinner for Jamie later that evening. Jenny may be a pain in his arse most of the time but she was always there when he needed her at a moment's notice. He couldn’t imagine where he and Fergus would be without her and Murtagh. Jamie turned off his computer and gathered his things before walking out of the office and towards his car. 

The drive home was quick and free of cars despite being prime traffic hour. Jamie made it home in record time and parked in the driveway, it was a safe neighborhood so Jamie didn’t bother to lock the car as he walked towards the door. He shucked off his black wing-tipped shoes and put them on the small wooden rack by the door before he walked up the stairs and pulled off his tie. He changed from his suit into a pair of grey basketball shorts and Mutargh’s company shirt. It was a simple black tee with his company name “White Rose Moving” with a small rose beneath the words; even though it was simple, Murtagh was proud of its design. And Jamile wore it happily as a badge of honor just as his godfather. 

Jamie was glad to help Murtagh whenever he could, there had been multiple instances where Jamie and Fergus dropped what they were doing to help him out on a last-minute job. Jamie would help move the furniture and boxes while Fergus stood next to Murtagh donning his own child-sized company shirt and helped Murtagh give instructions to the workers. Those days were some of Jamie’s fondest memories of his family. 

Jamie pulled his hair back with a tie as he walked back to the car and began the drive to the address Murtagh texted him. It wasn’t far, only a fifteen-minute drive from his own home and more than halfway to Fergus's school. Jamie parked his car next to the moving van and easily picked out his godfather amongst the small crowd of workers; his large bushy brown beard made him hard to miss.

“Hey!” Murtagh shouted at Rupert as Jamie approached. “I’m payin’ ye to carry no’ drop.” 

In response, Rupert adjusted his grip on the box and rolled his eyes. Jamie chuckled and clapped Rupert’s back as he passed. 

“Murtagh,” Jamie nodded at his godfather and stopped in front of him. 

“I’m glad yer here, Jamie, I could really use ye.” Murtagh smiled at him. Murtagh was dressed in his favorite pair of jeans and a similar company shirt to the one the workers wore. Murtagh had no problem going toe to toe with his younger employees and if it wasn’t for his black speckled grey hair you would think he was just as young as the rest of the men around him. 

“Happy to help,” Jamie put his hands on his hips and squinted his eyes in response to the harsh sun shining down on him. “Where do ye want me?” 

“Weel, ye can start by– Rupert, Angus, I’ll gie ye a skelpit lug!” Murtagh yelled, storming off towards Rupert and Angus who had taken to slapping each other with their shirts instead of working. “Knock it off!” Jamie heard Murtagh scream before he launched into a tirade of Gaelic curses. 

Jamie chuckled and turned around to grab one of the boxes from the moving van. He walked into the threshold and placed the box on the ground before seeing the label ‘kitchen’. He picked the box back up and was almost through the kitchen door when he slammed into a hard body. 

“Och! Watch where yer goin’!”

“Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ!”

Of all the people Jamie expected to physically run into when he agreed to help Murtagh earlier that afternoon Claire was on the very bottom of his list.


	4. Chapter 4

“Jamie?” Claire asked with a smile. “So, is this why you weren’t at pick-up time today? I missed our usual tête-à-tête.” 

She missed him? Jamie could feel his heart soar at her words. 

“Aye,” Jamie nodded, setting the box onto the ground between them.

“I thought you worked at an office? You’re always in a suit when you drop Fergus off, don’t tell me you’re doing manual labor in slacks and dress shirts?” 

“Ah, no,” he chuckled, glancing down at his cym clothes and feeling mildly self-conscious for whatever reason. “I do work in an office, but my godfather needed my help at the last minute. So, here I am.” 

“Mister Fitzgibbons is your godfather?” 

“Aye, Murtagh Fitzgibbons _Fraser_ is indeed my godfather, and Fergus’s too by extension.” 

“Well, that’s very sweet of you.” Claire folded her arms across her chest and steadily held her radiant smile. 

“Jamie! I’m no payin’ ye to stand around…” Murtagh said, walking towards them.

“Yer no payin’ me at all!” Jamie reminded him. Murtagh dismissed Jamie with the wave of his hand but stopped in his tracks the moment he noticed Claire looking expectantly at him.

“I’m sorry, Mister Fitzgibbons, we were just talking about Fergus and lost track of time,” Claire explained.

Well, it seemed the lass was quick on her feet, Jamie would have to remember that. 

“Ye ken Fergus?” Murtagh asked, looking at her uneasily. How this woman, _client_ , he kept having to remind himself, knew the wee lad was beyond him. Jamie never introduced any lass to the young boy, as far as Fergus was aware, his father was a monk. 

“Aye,” Jamie said, moving to stand next to Claire, “She’s his new teacher.” Jamie supplied as if reading Murtagh’s mind. 

“Oh, so you’re the bonny lass who Jamie’s talked non-stop about.” Murtagh couldn’t let an opportunity to tease his godson pass, even if he was still slightly apprehensive. His teasing proved successful as a crimson blush spread from Jamie’s neck to the tips of his ears. “We’re so thankful to ye, lass, for all ye’ve done for Fergus. I love the wee rascal but weel… it takes a special heart.”

Jamie gave an appreciative smile and looked at Claire with what Murtagh could only describe as ' _that look’_. That look which conveyed full admiration, infatuation, and eventually, love was focused as if perfectly aimed with a marksman on Claire. Murtagh knew the look well, he’d seen that exact expression on Brian Fraser’s face wherever he had spoken of his wife, Ellen still held the look when she spoke of her husband even though he had passed long ago. Murtagh briefly wondered if Jamie knew how lost he truly was to the lass and if any intention to act on it was present, he made a mental note to speak with Jamie before the day was over. In his musings, Murtagh didn’t notice that Jamie and Claire had started up another conversation. It was only until the tell-tale grunt of a man behind him that brought Murtagh to reality once more. 

“So, ye put it in the slow-cooker for about an hour or two–stirring every once in a while–and when yer finished, ye get a braw roast,” Jamie said. 

Claire was hanging onto his every word, at some point, she’d grabbed a pen and paper and was scribbling down Jamie’s instructions as he spoke them. “I’m not much of a cook,” Claire chuckled, tucking a piece of her long hair behind her ear. “But I’m really going to try my best at this, that sounds absolutely amazing!” 

“Fergus loves it and so will ye, weel, as long as ye dinna burn the thing.” Jamie joked bringing out another bout of laughter from Claire. 

Another grunt, this time loud enough to grab all their attention, made them turn their heads. “So, nepotism is nonexistent? Because the way I see it–”

“Shut your trap, Bonnet!” Murtagh told his worker. Murtagh could see from the corner of his eye that Jamie stepped in front of Claire to shield her from the Irishman; he was thankful Jamie had the good sense to do so. “I’m yer boss, ye willna speak to me like that! Now, go and finish helpin’ Rupert and Angus.” Bonnet gave a wicked smile and with an exaggerated bow, he went back to work. 

“I’m goin’ to keep an eye on things…” Murtagh mumbled to Jamie who nodded in agreement. “‘It was nice meeting ye lass,” Murtagh turned to Claire and gave her an honest smile. “Try not to keep him too long, aye? If he stands still for too long his big feet will weigh him to the floor.” 

Jamie rolled his eyes at the joke but Claire quickly responded, “Aye, I promise.” She gave Murtagh a salute. Murtagh shook his head and walked outside the house, leaving Claire and Jamie alone. 

“Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ,” Claire groaned, burying her face into her hands. “Why in the hell did I just do that?”

“Och, so that’s where he got it from. I heard you say it earlier but I wasna sure if it was just a coincidence. That’s become Fergus’s newest… err, expletive.” It was Jamie’s turn to chuckle. 

“Oh, God! I’m so sorry, Jamie, I swear I’ve only said it once or twice around him, I’ll talk to him on Monday and tell him it’s a bad thing to say. I hope you didn’t punish him for it.” 

“No, I canna really punish him for it. It’s not technically a bad word, and the only thing I can fault him for is taking the Lord’s name in vain but aye, who hasn’t?” Jamie shrugged with a reassuring smile. They fell into a comfortable silence, both perfectly content to stay in the other’s presence though neither could explain why. Jamie didn’t want to go, he wanted to stay and talk with her, but every time he opened his mouth he couldn’t bring himself to sound the words. From the look of contemplation on Claire’s face, Jamie was sure she felt the same way. Nervously, his foot hit the box by his feet and Jamie was suddenly reminded why he was actually there. 

“I should get back,” he motioned to the front door with his thumb. “I think I’ve taken a long enough break.”

“Of course! I’m sorry to have kept you so long, I hope you can lift your feet.” 

Jamie made a show of reaching down with both hands to pull up on his leg in an effort to move them. He’d only moved two steps this way before Claire swatted at him with her hands and dismissed him. 

“Go on now, soldier, you have work to do. I’d like to be able to sleep on a mattress tonight and not a blow-up one.” 

“Yer wish is my command,” He nodded once and turned back towards the way he’d come which felt like hours ago. He was halfway through the slowly furnishing living room when he stopped and turned to face her once more. “Which Roosevelt?” 

“What?” Claire asked, confused by his question.

“In ‘Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ’, which Roosevelt are ye cursing?” 

“Oh,” Claire paused for a moment, no one had ever asked her that before even though she knew the answer immediately, “Franklin Delano.” 

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today,” he took a deep breath, “Let us move forward with strong and active faith.” 

And with a final smile, Jamie left Claire standing alone, dazed and confused, with a growing sense of attraction. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got absolutely no sleep last night so please excuse any mistakes you find in the chapter.

"Fergus,” Jamie said, glancing behind his shoulder and sighing when he saw the boy still hunched over the kitchen table. “I’m no gonna tell ye again, comb yer hair, we’re leavin’ in ten minutes. We're gonna be late.” Jamie turned back to his task, eager to finish before they left, and quickly scrubbed the last couple of dirty dishes that held the remains of their finished dinner. Jamie didn’t need to see the roll of Fergus’s eyes, his huff and the slow scraping of the chair against the floor told him all he needed to know. 

"Why do we have to go, Papa?”

“Because I want to ken how yer doin’ in school.” 

“But I only have two teachers and you talk to them all the time… you saw Uncle Dougal earlier and Madame Beauchamp yesterday. What more could they have to tell you?”

“Fergus, hair, now,” Jamie said warningly, “We’re goin’ to the parent-teacher conference, I dinna want to hear another word about it.” 

“Yes, Papa.” Fergus conceded, realizing he would be unable to convince his father not to go. Fergus walked slowly up the stairs, dragging his feet the entire way, before grabbing his hairbrush from the appropriate drawer in the bathroom and carefully brushing the tangles from his curls. Once finished, he placed the hairbrush back into its drawer and exited the bathroom, by the time his feet touched the last stair Jamie was waiting for him by the door. 

Fergus slipped into the jacket Jamie was holding open for him and bent down to slip his Converse onto his feet. When his jacket was zipped and shoes tied firmly to his feet, he smiled at Jamie, “Ready!” 

They exited the house and Fergus waited for Jamie to lock the front door before they walked side by side to the car. Once they were settled, Jamie turned up the heater knowing full well that Fergus was cold even with his jacket on. They talked idly as they began the journey to Fergus's school, halfway to their destination, Fergus requested that Jamie play the audiobook they’d been listening to; as the sound of Stephen Fry reading _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_ drifted from the speakers, they settled into silence. 

“Shite,” Jamie mumbled under his breath, pulling into the school parking lot. He thought they’d left early enough, but apparently not as every space in the lot was filled. He brought the car to a halt and narrowed his eyes trying to find an open space; from the corner of his eye, he noticed a whirlwind of movements. Jenny was standing in what was probably the only spot left, waving her arms widely in his direction and shooing away any car that approached. “As always, yer auntie is one step ahead.” Jamie joked to Fergus, driving in Jenny’s direction. 

“Auntie!” Fergus grinned as Jenny opened his car door and helped him out. 

“Ye wee rascal, ye were supposed to make sure yer Da got here early.” Jenny lightly scolded, smiling to make sure Fergus knew she was only teasing. 

“I tried Auntie! But you know how stubborn he can be,” Fergus wrapped his arms around Jenny’s waist and snuggled into her side. 

“Me? Stubborn?” Jamie snorted, walking around the car to face them both. “He’s the one that dragged his feet! How is this my fault?”

“Yer the adult, bràthair, and maybe if ye spent less time tryin’ to look fancy ye would have been here on time. Why have ye dressed so nice anyway?” Jenny asked, viewing her brother up and down. Jamie’s hair was tied back with the rest of his hair gelled to keep it down; he was wearing a navy blue polo shirt tucked into his nicest pair of black jeans.

“He’s trying to impress someone!” Fergus told Jenny. 

“Go and find yer uncle and cousins, lad.” Jenny urged Fergus away before Jamie could object, pointing in the general direction where Ian should be with their children. Fergus happily ran off leaving Jamie and Jenny alone together to walk with the influx of parents heading into the school. “Is he right, Jamie? Has a lass caught yer eye? Is it Laoghaire?”

“No, it’s no Laoghaire!” Jamie hissed, grabbing Jenny’s elbow to try and keep her quiet. 

“Then who?” 

“None o’ yer business. Why can ye no leave me alone? Ye have yer own husband to nag.” 

“Weel, if ye had a wife, she would be naggin’ ye instead o’ I, but ye don’t, so,” Jenny shrugged as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, “I have to do it until ye get one. Fergus needs a Mam and ye need a wife, Jamie. Mam and I both agree–”

“What I need is for ye both to stay out o’ my dating life!” Jamie told her, pulling his sister closer as they entered the school. Before meeting with the teachers individually, everyone was ushered into the auditorium for Colum’s welcome speech. Despite the relatively low student population, the way to the auditorium was packed with parents and family members eager to learn about their child’s progress in school. Jamie kept a firm grip on Jenny’s arm to prevent them from separating in the large crowd. Jenny reached into her pocket and fished out her phone, she read the text from Ian which stated where they were and Jenny dragged Jamie over to their family. 

Ian was standing in the row he’d hastily claimed for the Fraser-Murray’s. The children were seated– not so quietly or stilly– in the middle seats with Ian at the front near the center aisle. Fergus was at the end of the row playing a hand game with Young Ian while Wee Jamie teased his sister, Maggie. Ian ignored the children and greeted them, he placed a kiss on Jenny’s cheek and clapped Jamie’s back. 

“Jamie! So good to see ye,” Ian smiled at his brother-in-law. 

“Aye, ye too Ian.” 

The lights in the auditorium dimmed slightly, the universal cue for everyone to get their seats and focus their attention on the front. Jamie squeezed down the row, greeting his nephew’s and niece as he went, he wasn’t surprised to find Jenny trailing after him. Jamie took the seat next to Fergus, resting his arm on the back of Fergus’s seat as Jenny sat on his right. Fergus left his cousin alone for the time being and settled himself into Jamie’s side. 

It didn’t take long for Colum to walk from the wings to the center of the stage, standing directly in the middle of the rest of the faculty who sat behind him. Colum cleared his throat into the microphone and leaned heavily against the podium to take the pressure from his bad leg. Dougal sat at the head of the first row, still dressed in the school’s physical education uniform with his arms and legs crossed. Unlike Dougal, the rest of the faculty were dressed appropriately with their rapt attention focused on Colum. 

To his surprise, and Jamie prayed it was actually him she was aiming for, Claire smiled and gave a small wave. Jamie returned the gesture with a bright smile, earning a nudge and smug look from Jenny.

“So, is that the lass? The one ye got all dressed for?” Jenny whispered in Jamie’s ear. 

“For once in yer life, will ye listen to our uncle?” Jamie asked, dropping his smile. Jenny rolled her eyes and returned her attention to the stage, making sure Jamie could see the knowing look on her face. 

“Parents, families, and students, I welcome ye to another year at Leoch Academy…” Colum began. 

Jamie didn’t bother to pay attention to his uncle’s speech, having heard some version of it at one time or another, he chose to focus on Claire instead. She looked absolutely bonny in her white blouse and matching grey skirt. Her long, brown curls hung to the side of her head, framing her face and making Jamie wonder if they were as soft as they appeared to be. Following the behavior of the rest of the staff, Claire laughed at Colum’s lame jokes, clapped when appropriate, and spent the majority of the speech staring at the back of Colum’s head. Occasionally, however, she would glance away and meet Jamie’s eyes. Like before, Jamie wasn’t sure if she was purposely looking at him, but he received his answer when he smiled at her and she returned it. 

His heart thudded wildly in his chest and his body temperature skyrocketed at her reciprocating movements.

A half-hour after he began, Colum finally excused the faculty to their classrooms to prepare for the rest of the night. Jamie kept his eyes on Claire until she was fully out of his sight and he was forced to look back at Colum. It was another twenty minutes before his speech was finished and the audience was directed to their child’s classroom. Jamie, Jenny, and Ian waited for the crowd to shrink before carefully exiting the auditorium. Jamie grabbed Fergus’s hand while Ian and Jenny discussed who would be going with each of their children; it was decided that Jenny would meet with Young Ian and Maggie’s teacher, while Ian accompanied Wee Jamie. The group then separated with the appropriate children, promising to meet back in the parking lot when they finished. 

Jamie and Fergus walked in the opposite direction as the rest of the family, and Fergus’s grip on Jamie’s hand tightened as they approached the classroom. Claire was standing by the door greeting each child and their parents as they entered. Claire’s smile widened when Jamie and Fergus approached her. Seemingly forgetting his nerves, Fergus rushed forward and accepted the hug Claire offered him. 

“Fergus, tu as réussi, je suis si contente!” ( _You made it, I'm so glad!)_

“I would not have missed it for the world, Madame Beauchamp!” He seemed to forget his earlier resistance as well. 

“Go and take your seat,” she ruffled his hair as he passed by her, “Hello, Mister Fraser.” Claire turned to Jamie. 

“Misses Beauchamp,” Jamie greeted her appropriately, picking up on her subtle cues to be formal. “‘Tis nice to see ye again.”

“And you as well,” Claire gave a single nod, “Would you please take a seat? I’d like to get started.” 

Her smile warmed his bones. 

When Jamie walked through the door, he could’ve sworn that Claire’s fingertips grazed his arm. He grinned and hummed to himself as he joined Fergus towards the back of the room while Claire greeted the rest of the parents. True to Colum’s word, Jamie counted eleven students besides Fergus; though the class sizes were relatively small throughout the school, Claire’s had to be the smallest. During his count, Jamie became suddenly aware that Fergus was the only student with only one family member in attendance; every other child had at least two with one girl surrounded by five people. 

As Claire began her speech, Jamie wondered if Fergus noticed the same thing. Was Fergus resentful that he was the child of a single, working father? Jamie knew he was more involved than most of the other parents, he had to be, but was that enough for Fergus? Jamie subconsciously pulled Fergus closer to him, sighing in relief when Fergus didn’t pull away. Fergus tilted his head back against Jamie’s chest, giving his father a happy smile before returning his attention to the front. 

Claire’s speech was similar to Colum’s, she welcomed the parents and family members to her classroom and dove into her expectations. They were general expectations of any classroom: respect, patience, being on time, and a willingness to learn. Claire’s curriculum focused more on the student’s individual improvement rather than their ability to memorize and repeat. When her prepared speech was finished, she handed out a paper for the parents to fill out. When Jamie received his copy, he noticed it was the same questions Claire had asked him when they first met. She wanted the parents to list their concerns, wishes, questions, emergency contacts, and anything else they wanted her to know. 

They were done at exactly seven-thirty. Claire gave a general good-bye to the room, announcing that she would stay a little while longer for anyone who wished to speak with her. Fergus took hold of Jamie’s hand and tugged him from the room when the majority of the classroom vacated with only a handful of parents waiting their turn to speak with Claire. They had just spotted Jenny and Ian in the parking lot when Fergus noticed Jamie had forgotten his form, having set it down on Fergus’s desk after getting it. 

“Stay wi’ yer uncle and aunt, I’ll be quick,” Jamie turned on his heel and fought against the crowd as he moved in the opposite direction. When he arrived at the classroom, he stopped by the door and watched as Claire stood alone in the dimmed room, shuffling a stack of papers in her bag. He knocked lightly on the door to announce his presence before stepping into the room. “I’m sorry, but I seemed to have misplaced my paper,” he said, walking over to where she stood. 

“Yes, you did,” Claire nodded the affirmative, “I was going to give it to Fergus tomorrow to bring home to you, but since you’re here.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a single white paper. Jamie reached out to take the paper from her, their hands slightly touched during the pass off but it was enough to make his skin tingle. 

“Thank ye, Sassenach,” he said.

“Sassenach?” Claire questioned, her eyes locking onto his with his phrase. 

“Och, erm, I’ve just been callin’ ye that in my mind, I didna mean to address ye as such out loud. Forgive me,” he explained. 

“You’ve been thinking about me?” 

Jamie felt his body freeze, of course, that was the part she focused on. “Aye,” he admitted shyly, with a nod. 

“I’ve been thinking about you too,” she whispered, her own cheeks burning red in embarrassment at her own admittance.

Before he could stop himself, Jamie felt the words escaping his mouth, “I ken it’s probably no appropriate, but I’d love to meet with ye– outside of the school if ye get my meanin’. There’s somethin’ between us that I canna explain and I canna seem to get ye off my mind.”

“You’re right, it’s not appropriate.” 

Jamie felt his heart lurch at her words. He knew it was a long shot, parents and teachers “meeting” outside of school was frowned upon everywhere, it shouldn’t be any different for them. But that knowledge didn’t stop the feeling of disappointment settling into his bones. 

“However…” Claire began, making him jerk his head to look at her. She reached into her purse and pulled out a pen, she took the paper from his hand and wrote on the back before handing it to him. “Every day at four, after school, I go to this little coffee place near my house. If I ran into somebody I knew and they said hello, it would be awfully rude of me to ignore them, wouldn’t it? Why I would just have to say hello and chat– it’s the proper thing to do.” 

Jamie smiled when she finished and folded the paper with the address to the shop into a neat square before shoving it into his pocket. “I love coffee, I think I might be in the mood for some, tomorrow,” he said. 

Claire chuckled, “Well then, maybe I’ll see you tomorrow, Mister Fraser.” 

“Aye, ye just might.” 

Jamie backed out of the room slowly, giving Claire a knowing smile before whipping around and rushing back to the parking lot. When he noticed only a few cars remained, Jamie hurried over to Jenny who was waiting outside of her van with her arms wrapped around Fergus for warmth. 

“What took ye so long?” Jenny asked, releasing Fergus from her grasp as Jamie picked him up. “He’s practically dead on his feet.” 

“I’m sorry,” Jaime apologized to Jenny, rubbing his hand along Fergus’s back. “I’m sorry, laddie.” Jamie kissed the side of Fergus’s head which rested on his shoulder. 

“Can we go home now, Papa?” Fergus mumbled into his neck. 

“O’ course we can,” Jamie held Fergus tighter with one arm and gave Jenny a quick hug with the other. “Thank ye, Jenny. Night Ian!” he waved to Ian through the window. 

“Ye didna’ answer me!” Jenny called as Jamie carried a sleeping Fergus to their car. He turned over his shoulder and gave Jenny a grin. Jamie carefully buckled Fergus into the car and began the drive home, the quicker he got home the faster he could go to sleep, which meant the sooner he would see his Sassenach again. And he couldn’t wait. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next chapter, we'll see Jamie and Claire on their first "date". Kudos to anyone who can tell me what show I gave a slight reference to! I based Claire's teaching style on one of the professors I had this semester, he was amazing! I thought his style would work well for Claire and the student she has. Happy near year!  
> P.S. I finally figured out how to make indentations on this site and I'm so excited! I think it looks much better.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with another chapter! The response to this story has just blown me away and I'm so grateful for all of your support and comments. Kudos to those who guessed the reference was from Gilmore Girls when Max convinced Lorelai to have a run into each other first date– just as Claire does for our lovely Jamie. In this chapter, you'll learn more about Claire and Frank's relationship as well as how Fergus came to be. Just a quick heads-up: I know nothing about coffee as I absolutely hate it myself so the coffee on their coffee date is rather basic. I hope you guys enjoy!

“Good job, Roger,” Claire said, giving the young boy a smile before continuing to walk through the row of desks. Each student was hunched over their desk filling out the paper she’d given them ten minutes before. On the paper were several analog clocks with each one telling a different time; it was a simple assignment, at least in her mind, but some of the students were struggling to fill in the answers. Claire walked through the rows, offering assistance when needed, and checking the answers that were written on the papers.

Claire tilted her head in order to get a glimpse of Fergus’s paper, his curly hair acting as a shield from above, she saw that the majority of the blanks had an answer and the once black and white clocks were filled with color. Claire let out a chuckle, grabbing Fergus’s attention who quickly looked up. 

“Yes, Madame?” he asked, watching her closely. 

“You’re doing wonderful, Fergus, but this one,” she pointed to the green clock at the top right corner, “Check this one again. Remember that the small hand is the hour and the big is the minute, you’ve gotten them confused.” 

F ergus squinted his eyes and leaned closer to the section her finger rested on. Claire noticed that he had been doing that a lot lately, squinting and leaning closer to view something, she made a mental note to speak with Jamie about getting his eyesight checked, maybe Fergus needed glasses. Jamie… just thinking of his name made her knees weak. 

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and focused her attention back on Fergus’s paper. She was glad Fergus wasn’t the mind reader his father appeared to be, Jamie seemed to be able to read her thoughts and respond before she could manifest the words. But the look of complete despair on his face when she’d turned him down the night before made him look absolutely adorable. Claire doubted anyone would have any reason to describe Jamie as adorable–he was definitely a gentle, rugged giant–but that’s what he’d been with his cheeks red from embarrassment and eyes cast down; Jamie looked an awful lot like the little boy currently scribbling away in front of her. 

“How’s this, Madame?” Fergus asked, tilting the paper so she could see. 

“That’s wonderful, Fergus,” she placed a hand on his arm and gave the limb a light squeeze. “Keep going, you’ve got the hang of it now.” Claire stood from her position and resumed her previous walk amongst the scattered desks. Overall, the majority of them seemed to have grasped the concept but they would certainly need a review the following day. At precisely two-forty, Claire returned to the front of the class and clapped once to garner their attention,

“All right class, it’s two-forty, that means it’s time to pack up your things and get ready to go,” she announced with a smile.

“Misses Beauchamp, it’s actually two-forty-one!” 

Claire nodded her head with a chuckle, “You’re quite right, Annabelle,” She praised the young girl. When all the students had their belongings and were ready to go, Claire escorted her class to the front of the school where a line of parents were waiting for their children. Since the eldest child in her class turned eight just a week prior, Claire liked to make sure all her students were safely on their way home before she herself left. 

Fergus stayed within radius to Claire as he always did, but chatted with a little girl Claire vaguely recognized as Marsali. Soon, Marsali was picked up by a woman, her mother Claire assumed, with the same long blonde hair and blue eyes. Marsali bid farewell to her friend and her mother said a few words to Fergus, although Claire couldn’t hear what she had said to him, she was sure Fergus wasn’t appreciative as he inched closer to her as a result. Another mental note to keep an eye on things and discuss with Jamie if it prolonged. 

Not long after, a familiar black SUV pulled up, and before it had even stopped Fergus was bouncing towards the car doors. The car came to a halt, and the tall figure of Murtagh Fitzgibbons  _ Fraser  _ rounded the front of the car with his arms open for Fergus to jump into. 

“Murtagh!” Fergus wrapped his arms around Murtagh’s neck.

“Oh, laddie!” Murtagh groaned lightly as Fergus settled into Murtagh’s arms, “I’m no as young as yer Da, and yer getting to be braw, soon, yer gonna have to put those legs o’ yers to good use.” Although Murtagh seemed to be radiating a grumpy vibe, Claire could hear the love in his words. 

“Where is my Da?” Fergus asked, peering into the tinted windows of the SUV. “He always picks me up on Thursdays.” 

“Och, weel, yer Da had a meeting he could no get out o’,” Murtagh explained, shooting Claire a sly smile, “So, he asked me to pick ye up. Are ye tired o’ me already? I suppose I could leave ye here wi’ Dougal, I’m sure he could find somethin’ for ye to do.” 

“No!” Fergus quickly shouted, “Je veux rester avec toi s'il te plait,”  _ (I want to stay with you, please) _

“It’s settled then,” Murtagh lowered Fergus to the ground, “In ye get.” he opened the back door for Fergus to climb into. 

“You speak French?” Claire asked Murtagh, clearly surprised even though she knew she shouldn’t be, it was likely that the entire family spoke French. 

“Aye,” Murtagh nodded, shutting the car door behind Fergus. “I picked it up a long time ago.” Murtagh walked away without further explanation. The car’s engine purred and the passenger side window lowered to reveal Murtagh smirking at her. “Ye have fun tonight, try not to keep him too late, I have a meeting early in the mornin’.” 

Before Claire could respond, the vehicle pulled away from the curb and carried its passengers down the road. Claire stood for a few moments in shock wondering just how much Jamie had told his godfather.

It was another ten minutes before the last of her students were picked up, leaving Claire just under an hour to run home and quickly get ready for her date. She didn’t live too far from the school and traffic seemed to be in her favor, before long, she was home and sitting in front of her bureau. She removed the bland, skin-toned makeup she’d put on that morning and replaced the color with something a little bolder. Nothing too bold, she didn’t want Jamie to think she was desperate, though it had been a while since she’d been on a date.

She changed into her favorite pair of slimming blue jeans, red-black flannel and opted for the matching black flats. After doing a final check to make sure her hair didn’t look too wild, Claire was in her car and driving to the café. She’d discovered the place soon after moving to Scotland on one of her many sleepless nights. She was overthinking her decision to move, even though it was too late to do anything about it, and thought a midnight drive would clear her head. Eight minutes into her aimless drive and she’d discovered the only open establishment on the block, a twenty-four coffee shop. Once she’d taken the first sip of their coffee and a bite from their pastry, she was a customer for life. She easily preferred their goods versus the overly priced options from Starbucks that many of her girlfriends were obsessed with. 

Claire parked her car directly in front of the cafe, debating on if she should go in and find a table for them or wait for him before entering. She was somewhat early and Jamie seemed like he would be a punctual man, but then again, it was supposed to be a ‘surprise meeting’. She grabbed her purse and entered the building, stopping in her tracks when she saw him already seated at a table near the door. He was dressed similarly to the night before in neatly pressed clothing, however today, the copper tendrils he called hair were loose and tailed just past his shoulders. 

She took a few deep breaths before walking in tentative steps towards him, when she was close to him, he glanced up from the menu in his hand and looked at her with mock surprise. “Why, Madame Beauchamp, what a surprise to see ye here.” 

“Mister Fraser, was it?” she asked, going along with the narrative he’d begun and closed the distance between them. “Of all the places in the world, my favorite coffee shop,” she said, sitting in the empty seat across from him which he’d clearly saved for her. 

“Mmm, I heard from a certain someone that they served  _ verra  _ good coffee.” 

The way he pronounced the word caused an explosion of butterflies in her stomach. 

“So, you’ve never been here before?” Claire asked, taking the menu a passing waitress offered her, even though she already knew what she was getting, it proved to be a physical distraction for her nerves. 

“No,” Jamie shook his head, “I dinna really have the time; between work, Fergus and helpin’ wi’ the family, exploring the restaurants and shops are the last thing on my mind.” 

“That reminds me,” Claire said, closing her menu and leaning her body closer to his. “Fergus has been squinting in class lately,” at the mention of his son Jamie’s full attention was on her. “Squinting and leaning in to get a closer look, I’m concerned he might have trouble seeing.” 

She wasn’t expecting the chuckle that came from his mouth, “Thank ye for yer concern, Claire, but I can assure ye his sight is fine.” 

“If he continues to do it he’ll only strain his eyes,” Claire said with a frown.

“Aye, I’ve told him many times that it will just hurt him in the long run but it’s a habit he hasn’t broken yet.”

“Where in the hell did he pick that up?” She rested back against the chair behind her.

“I’m not too sure,” Jamie shrugged, “I believe it stemmed from the idea that if he blocked out what’s goin’ on around him he could focus more.” 

Claire nodded in understanding, “I’ll keep an eye on that.” 

Jamie smiled in thanks and turned back to the menu in his hands, “What’s good here?”

“I like the black Colombian just fine, but I heard the cortados are wonderful here.”

“So, yer not one o’ those lassie’s that likes their coffee mostly sugar, aye?” 

“God no,” Claire snorted a laugh, “One of my friends in England takes her coffee,” she used air quotes with the word, “with the majority of her drink made of milk or creamer–adding a splash of the actual coffee for flavor.” His resulting laugh came from deep within his chest and made her stomach flutter once more. 

“Why Scotland?” Jamie asked once they’d placed their order, both getting the simple Colombian coffee and a pastry, Claire raspberry and Jamie apple. 

“I’ve been everywhere imaginable, I was raised by my Uncle Lambert who traveled the world as an archaeologist, we visited Egypt, China, the States, South America– you name it. I came to Scotland for the first time a few years ago with my husband, Frank, and Scotland… Well, let’s just say of all the places I’ve been, Scotland's left a lasting impression. It’s absolutely beautiful here and when I could no longer stand England I came for a visit, initially, but then I didn’t want to leave.”

“Aye,” Jamie nodded with a smile. “I ken what ye mean, I’ve traveled a bit myself, and yet, I always come home to Scotland. There’s no place else I’d rather be.” 

Their conversation stalled as their waiter placed their drinks and treats in front of them. Claire grasped the mug in her hands for warmth, gathering the courage to speak, “Jamie, can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” 

“O’ course,'' he took a sip of his coffee, and a happy sigh escaped his lips, “O Dhia, that’s really good… what is it, Sassenach? What’s on yer mind?” 

“Where’s Fergus’s mum? I haven’t seen her at pick up and he’s never mentioned her.” 

“He doesna have one,” Jamie explained, setting his mug onto the counter. “I adopted Fergus when he was a wee bairn. I was in Paris helpin’ my cousin, Jared, with his business, one day, I visited a friend o’ mine who was fosterin’ him. She was strained and tired, her first foster, and practically a newborn to boot. She kent I was good with bairns, asked if I was willin’ to watch him long enough for her to shower,” Jamie smiled with the memory. 

“By the time she was finished and ready to take him back… I couldna give him to her. Dinna ken why but it was like a piece of myself I didna ken was missin’ was suddenly there again, I felt whole. My fianceé at the time wasna keen on the idea, she didna want to be a mam– somethin’ we probably should have discussed before gettin’ engaged– she said it was either her or the bairn. Ye can tell which one I chose. The process was long and hard, tons o’ paperwork, visits, and fees– had to get a lawyer as weel. After, a couple o’ years little Claudel was mine.”

“Claudel?” Claire’s nose scrunched. 

“Aye,” Jamie chuckled at her expression, “My thoughts exactly, the first thing I did was change his name to somethin’ more braw.” 

“I can’t imagine what you went through,” Claire said, resting her head on her palm, “Frank and I talked about adopting, well, I talked about adopting and he dismissed the idea immediately. He said he could never love a child that wasn’t of his own blood.” 

“He’s an eejit,” Jamie said, his jaw tensing at the information. “I canna imagine my life wi’out Fergus, nor would I want to.” He took another sip of his coffee, glancing down at the brown liquid before asking, “Are ye still together, Claire? Yer goin’ by yer maiden name and no wearin’ a ring, but earlier you said ‘my husband’, no ex.” 

“Legally, yes,” Claire answered honestly, “But we’ve been separated for almost a year now. Why do you ask?” 

“I’ll be honest wi’ ye, Sassenach, I like ye a lot and this is somethin’ I want to pursue, but I’ve no intention of courtin’ a marritt woman even if she is unhappy– my Da would have my arse. Do ye plan on a divorce?” 

His brash honesty made her pause, she knew full well that there was something between them– they’d admitted it just last night. Yet, hearing Jamie explicitly say he had every intention of courting her– who even used the term courting, anyway? It wasn’t like they were in the eighteenth century– made her mind flood with the possibilities of their relationship and the challenges they would surely endure. She was his son’s teacher, for Christ’s sake, it’s not like they just dive into a relationship head-on, she could lose her job or registration if they didn’t act accordingly. But looking at the man in front of her…  _ to hell with the consequences _ , she thought.

She wanted him as much as he seemed to want her.

From the prolonged wait for her answer, Jamie’s body was as hard and still as a rock. His slanted, cat-like blue eyes stared at her, waiting for an answer. 

She reached over and took his hand in hers. “I have every intention of a divorce, I promise you, I’ve talked to him about it but he said he’d only contest it if I sent the paperwork, so I’ve hit a roadblock on the matter. I’m not really sure what to do next.”

Jamie nodded, his body relaxing with confirmation of her feelings, and one of the noises she recognized as plainly Scottish sounded from his throat, “Good… verra good. I can get ye in touch with my family lawyer if ye’d like, the one who helped me wi’ Fergus. He’ll help ye as a favor to me.” 

“You don’t have to do that, Jamie, but I’d appreciate it if you’re sure.”

“I am,” he nodded resolutely, “I want you, Claire, almost more than I’ve ever wanted anythin’ in my whole life.” 

With a shaky voice, she responded, “I want you too, Jamie.”

He smiled at her words and pushed the plate holding her pastry closer to her, “Ye should eat, Sassenach, before it goes stale.” 

The rest of their date was filled with light and easy conversation. They talked about their families, Claire’s lack of and Jamie’s hectic one, his smile beamed the entire time he spoke of them. She finally got a firm answer on his career that had so far been shrouded with mystery, he worked as an accountant strictly for the pay. He would much rather go back to working on his family’s farm, Lallybroch, he told her, but with Fergus and bills, he didn’t have a choice. Claire explained her brief stint as a psychologist before going back to school to get her teaching degree, a course Frank had not been on board with and one of the final pins of their marriage. 

She learned that Jamie was a very busy man, between working a full week and being a single parent to a very loving yet rambunctious child, he rarely had a moment of peace. He spent his weekends helping Murtagh, working on the family farm with his sister and brother-in-law, or assisting his mother with any given task. And to her surprise, she learned she was a good four years older than him, though he reassured her quickly that age was of no matter to him.

They talked for hours, losing track of time until their conversation was interrupted by a string of alerts from his cellphone. He apologized, thinking it rude to be on one’s cell phone while in someone’s company, but was compelled to check anyway, just in case it was about Fergus, which turned out to be the case.

“I should get goin’,” he said, typing a reply into his phone. “Murtagh said Fergus is gettin’ a bit antsy, ready to go home.”

“I don’t blame him, it’s…” Claire checked her watch, “My God, is it really close to nine? Can you believe how late it is?” 

“Guess we lost track o’ time, verra easy with such delightful company.'' he smiled at her, making her blush. He flagged down their waiter and ordered a chocolate scone to go for Fergus, a treat for being out so late, and before she could protest he paid their bill in full, she did, however, make him promise to let her pay next time. He walked her to her car, making Claire wish she’d parked further away, she didn’t want to part from him yet. 

“This is me,” Claire said, digging out her keys from her purse. 

“Claire,” Jamie whispered her name, taking a small step in her direction. “I’d verra much like to kiss ye, may I?”

Her eyes zoned in on his full lips, “I’d be upset if you didn’t,” she answered. And with her permission, he moved towards her and captured her lips in a searing kiss. It couldn’t have lasted more than a few seconds, but it left a lasting impression, making her body tremble and a fire burn through her chest. “Apologize to Murtagh for me for keeping you out late, he explicitly told me not to,” she mumbled against his lips. 

“Dinna fash about him, Claire, he’s an auld coot with nothin’ better to do than make meanin’less threats. Besides, he’d never admit to it but he loves spendin’ time wi’ Fergus, I have to rip the lad away from him most o’ the time.”

They stood in silence for several seconds.

“Goodnight, Sassenach,” Jamie said, placing a kiss on her forehead.

“Goodnight,” she echoed, leaning into his touch. 

He pulled away a few seconds later, refusing to look anywhere but her as he backed up slowly and carefully to his car. 

“You better text me, you bloody Scot, you’ve had my number for ages now and have yet to use it!” she shouted at him as he climbed into his car.

Seconds later, her phone dinged displaying the first of many tests she was soon to receive from Jamie. It read:  _ You have very soft lips, I can’t wait to feel them again  _

She looked up just in time to see his car pull out of the lot, leaving her to wonder just how far gone she already was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrestled with Fergus's origin for a while but decided to stay somewhat canon and have him be adopted. Contesting a divorce is a real thing, which I didn't know about until I did the research for this chapter, and I whole-heartedly believe that's a move Frank would pull. Basically, Frank is saying he'd refuse the motion of divorce if Claire sent him papers. By Claire sending the papers she would be saying there's no hope for their marriage and it's impossible to fix while Frank contesting states the exact opposite, he believes the marriage can be repaired, then what ensues is a court battle in front of a judge for a ruling. Not wanting to deal with his BS, Claire just hasn't sent them making her legally still married to Frank. 
> 
> Thanks again for reading, I really appreciate it. I plan on updating this story at least once a week but there's always a chance I'll update more than that.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter doesn't have as much Claire/Jamie fluff as the last chapter but instead focuses on Jamie's relationship with his family. Happy reading!

Jamie opened his eyes with a groan; staying out late the night when he was due to wake at four-thirty in the morning was ill-fated, but so was giving a seven-year-old a sugary treat late at night, and he’d done both. Fergus had been in a horrid mood when Jamie finally arrived to pick him up from Murtagh’s, the brief exhilaration of seeing his father was quickly replaced by the lateness of the hour and the absence of their usual father-son time. 

Their drive home consisted of Fergus glaring at his father through the rearview mirror with his arms crossed, and by the time they pulled into their driveway, Jamie knew the boy would be getting his breakfast treat as soon as they got into the house. Normally, Jamie didn’t resort to bribing Fergus out of his moods; he usually waited until the lad was calm and they would talk about the issue. But this time, Jamie couldn’t stop the feeling of guilt washing over him so he’d offered Fergus his chocolate scone just to see him smile. This proved to be a bad decision on his part as the sugar overpowered Fergus’s earlier tiredness and kept him awake until one in the morning.

Leaving Jamie with only a little more than three hours of sleep and likely a very cranky, sleep-deprived child to boot. 

Jamie forced his body into an upright position and reached over to his nightstand to grab his phone. In just the few hours since he’d checked it last, he had ten new emails and several unread text messages: a handful from Jenny, one from his Mam, two from Murtagh, and one from Claire. He opened Claire’s first, smiling when he read her message:  _ Thank you for last night, Jamie, I had a lot of fun, I hope Murtagh and Fergus weren’t too angry with you for being out so late. Have a wonderful day!  _

The message was sent less than fifteen minutes before - she must be an early riser like him. He replied:  _ Good morning, how did you sleep?  _

He set his phone back onto his nightstand and finally heaved his body off the bed. Friday was the busiest day in the Fraser household and Jamie knew the longer he procrastinated the worse it be. He shed his pajamas and took a short, hot shower to jolt his body awake, dressing in his charcoal three-piece suit and black winged-tip shoes, he was ready for the day. 

He exited his room and crossed the hall to check on Fergus, one of the parental habits Jamie hadn’t been able to break as Fergus grew older. Constantly checking in on a newborn had been a necessity, but by the age of two, the periodic peek-ins were more to reassure Jamie's worries than to actually tend to the boy. Satisfied that Fergus was sound asleep, Jamie walked down to the kitchen and started a pot of strong black coffee. While he waited for the coffee to prepare, Jamie went back up the stairs to wake Fergus. 

“Fergus?” Jamie asked, knocking lightly on the door with his knuckles, Fergus’s body shifted slightly under the pile of blankets at his father’s rousing. “Time to get up, laddie.” Jamie walked further into the room to stand at Fergus’s bedside. “Fergus,” Jamie tried again, placing a gentle hand on Fergus’s shoulder. 

“Five more minutes, Papa,” Fergus said drowsily, smacking his lips and pulling his prized stuffed turtle to his chest. 

“We dinna have five more minutes,” Jamie carefully peeled the layer of blankets off Fergus’s body, “Ye ken on Fridays ye go to Grannie’s before school, I’m sure she’s already got yer favorite pancakes waitin’ for ye.” At the mention of his grandmother’s pancakes, Fergus opened his eyes and slowly sat up in the bed. 

“Aye, that got ye up,” Jamie smiled placing a kiss to the mop on Fergus’s head, “The sooner yer dressed the sooner ye get yer pancakes.” The simple statement kicked Fergus’s small body into action and he finally rose from the bed to shuffle over to his dresser. 

Leaving Fergus alone to dress, Jamie walked to his bedroom to take his cellphone off the charger, smiling when he saw the text from Claire:  _ Rather well, though coffee so late was a bad idea, you? _

He replied:  _ Didn’t sleep so well myself, expect a Zombie Fergus today, we were up late.  _

Jamie slipped his phone into the pocket of his pants and returned to the kitchen to transfer the coffee from the pot to his thermos. He turned off the kitchen light and made his way to the front door just as Fergus walked down the stairs.

“I’m tired, Papa,” Fergus yawned, rubbing his eyes with his hands and stopping on the second to last step.

“Och, I ken,” Jamie swung Fergus’s book bag over his shoulder and extended his arms in Fergus’s direction. Fergus happily took the invitation and settled into his father’s embrace, resting his drooping head on Jamie’s shoulder as Jamie locked the house and carried Fergus to the car. 

The drive to his mother's was eventless, Fergus fell asleep leaving Jamie to bask in the silence and emptiness of the road in front of him. Soon, the lights of his mother’s house shone through the darkness acting as a beacon to his ancestral land. Lallybroch was distanced twenty minutes from the nearest town though a mere ten from Leoch Academy, allowing the estate a tremendous amount of privacy from light pollution as well as people. Jamie drove past the dark house of Jenny and Ian and continued down the long dirt road to his mother’s home. 

Shortly after the news of Jenny’s pregnancy with Wee Jamie, his mother had moved out of the house she’d lived in for the past forty years and gave the space to her daughter and son-in-law instead. Her children were grown and off on their own adventures, leaving her alone in the large home that the Frasers had occupied for more than two centuries; she was more than happy to pass it on to the next generation. She settled into the much smaller building a mile down the road and turned a once empty space into an ever welcoming environment for her children and grandchildren. 

Fergus lifted his head when the car came to stop as Jamie parked the car next to his mother’s. Jamie had just opened Fergus’s door when his mother walked down the wooden porch steps of her home to greet them.

“Grannie!” Fergus shouted, hastily unbuckling his seatbelt and darting off towards her. 

“Fergus, my darling boy!” Ellen wrapped her grandson in a large hug, “I’m so happy to see ye,” Though they saw each other multiple times a week, she always acted like it had been months since their last visit. Ellen Fraser was the epitome of grandmothers. She doted on her grandchildren with loving care, bending to their every wish and doing anything in her power to make them happy–often to the displeasure of her children who were left to deal with whatever hyperactive state or toys she had given to the wee ones. 

“Ye look like shite,” Ellen said, glancing at Jamie before leading Fergus inside the house with her hand pressed firmly on his back, “Were ye up late?” 

Jamie followed his mother and son into the kitchen and sighed happily at the smell of his mother’s pancakes and roasting coffee beans, taking a large breath, “Aye, we were.”

“Here ye go, laddie, Grannie has plenty, so eat as much as ye want,” She placed a large plate of fluffy pancakes loaded with whipped cream, berries, and syrup in front of Fergus before she turned to face Jamie, “Ye ken ye canna keep him up that late, especially on a school night, what’s wrong wi’ ye?” 

Jamie shook his head, “I got back later than I thought I would… couldna stand the way he was lookin’ at me, so I gave him a treat to make him happy. Is that truly bad?” 

“I suppose no…” Ellen said, looking from Jamie to Fergus, “Ye were out with yer lass, weren’t ye?” Ellen smiled at Jamie with a knowing look.

“Dhia… Jenny needs to keep her mouth shut! I dinna ken why she canna stay out o’ matters that dinna concern her.” 

“So, it’s true then?” Ellen placed one hand on her hip, “Ye were wi’ a lass?” 

“Aye,” Jamie nodded the affirmative, walking over to lean against the counter.

“Is she bonnie?” Ellen asked, sitting in the chair next to Fergus with her eyes never leaving Jamie’s face. 

“Verra,” Jamie responded with a smile, “Ye’ll like her, Mam, she’s verra intelligent and kind…” Jamie trailed off, his eyes landing on the back of Fergus’s head. Even though he and Claire had both announced their intentions to each other, they had yet to discuss how to proceed around Fergus. 

Jamie could see hiding their relationship from the world– though nothing stayed hidden for long if his family had anything to say about it– however, Fergus was an exception. Jamie didn’t want to create a web of lies explaining why he was suddenly away more, telling Fergus he was working the night before when he was actually on a date pained him enough. Jamie hated lying to Fergus, he wanted Fergus to feel comfortable coming to him with any issue, knowing his father would be understanding and willing to listen; a relationship that was hard to build if it was based on lies. 

“She’s somethin’ special,” Jamie finished, looking away from Fergus to his mother.

“Yer Da always said he kent from the moment we first met that we were it for each other; some feelin’ resonating deep within his bones…”

“Aye,” Jamie said, “Da told me the same thing, I thought he was crazy but I dinna anymore. I ken what he was sayin’,”

“Ye think she’s the one?” 

“I do,” Jamie nodded, “I really do.”

Ellen smiled, “Then I’m happy for ye, mo mac,” she stood from her chair and walked over to him, grabbing his hands in hers when he came in reach. “I may just forgive ye for keepin’ my grandson up so late given the circumstances. But no again!” She shooed Jamie away from the counter and motioned for him to sit at the table. “He’s a growin’ lad and needs all the sleep he can get. I will no have ye depriving him o’ it.” 

“Have some, Papa,” Fergus said, pushing his plate towards Jamie. “Grannie makes the best pancakes!” 

“I ken she does,” Jamie said, reaching out to take a piece of Fergus’s food only earning a smack from Ellen for his efforts.

“Here’s yer own,” she placed a pile of pancakes in front of Jamie, “Eat before ye have to leave for work.” 

When Ellen turned to walk towards the stove, Jamie fished his phone from his pocket and sent a single text to Claire:  _ Sassenach, dinner tonight with me and Fergus? My place?  _

She responded seconds later:  _ I’d love to!  _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter primarily serves as an introduction for Ellen as I have major plans for her in this fic and I wanted to build her up as a doting and loving yet firm family matriarch. Regarding Jamie and Claire's texts, I personally don't use shorthand and with Claire being a teacher I feel like she would be less inclined to do so as well, I'm sorry if their correspondence came off as a bit stale as a result.
> 
> Thank you all for your continued support and comments, it truly makes me happy to know you guys are enjoying this story– I can't believe I considered abandoning it all together! I plan on having the next update to you guys by Tuesday or Wednesday night with Jamie and Claire's first night together with Fergus. 
> 
> A heads-up: I try not to make Frank be too bad of a guy (he did take Claire back and raise Brianna lovingly, after all) but he is rather nasty in this one. If you love watching (reading) Frank suffer– just hang in there! It'll happen. 
> 
> Have a lovely weekend!


	8. Chapter 8

“Fergus, be verra careful,” Jamie warned, eyeing Fergus as the young boy teetered on the stool he was standing on. They were in the kitchen preparing dinner together as they did every Friday night, except tonight, Claire would be joining them.

Friday was Jamie’s busiest–and favorite– day of the week. He awoke practically at dawn and dropped Fergus at his Mam’s before being the first to arrive at work. He spent all day in various meetings, plowing through piles of paperwork and arguing with clients over the realities of their financials. If he was lucky, which was rarely the case, he might have time for a quick lunch to fuel his body for the rest of the day. Today he had not been lucky, Jamie’s stomach rumbled loudly in unison with the dinging of utensils against pots and pans. 

They were making lasagna. It was a simple yet classic meal that was heavily enjoyed by the Fraser men and Jamie had never met a person who didn’t love cheesy-carbs. Jamie stood over the stove stirring the marinara sauce while Fergus carefully laid down the first layer of noodles in the pan. Fergus was short for his age so even with the added assistance of a stool he still had to brace himself on the top of his toes with Jamie close behind for support. 

Despite the cover his apron was supposed to provide, Fergus had managed to dirty his prized green  _ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle  _ shirt with blotches of red–he stood far too close when Jamie poured the marinara sauce into the pan– and had a thin white layer of flour from when they’d rolled out the croissant dough. 

“What now, Papa?” Fergus asked, standing straight so Jamie could check his work on the layered pan. 

“First the sauce,” Jamie said, carefully setting the steaming pile of marinara on the counter next to the pan and within Fergus’s reach. “It’s verra hot, Fergus, be really careful, please.” 

“I know, Papa,” Fergus responded with a smile, reaching forward and carefully scooping up a pile of sauce with the ladle Jamie provided. “Just put it on?”

“Aye, but smooth it out,” Jamie watched as Fergus poured the sauce over the waiting noodles and evened the spread. “Then the meat,” Fergus grabbed a handful of crushed beef from the pot and sprinkled it across the pan.  “Can I add tons of cheese?” Fergus asked hopefully. 

Jamie chuckled and pulled the large bag of shredded cheese towards them, “Add as much as ye want.” He stood to the side, watching as Fergus sprinkled two large helpings of cheese across the first layer of lasagna. Just as Fergus reached for another bunch of cheese the doorbell rang signaling the arrival of their special guest. 

“Save enough for the rest o’ the layers,'' Jamie said, moving to wash his hands in the sink and drying them on the dishtowel. “Can I trust ye no to cover the entire thing wi’ cheese?” Jamie asked Fergus, slowly walking towards the hall.

“No promises…” Fergus shrugged, turning back to his cheesy-meaty masterpiece. 

Jamie left Fergus to his devices in the kitchen and walked into the hall to open the door for Claire. His breath hitched the moment his eyes took her in. She was standing as straight as a pushpin with a smile on her face and a bottle of orange soda in her hands. Her hair hung loosely, framing her beautiful face which only made Jamie want to run his hands through the long, brown strands. She wore a simple lilac blouse with form-fitting jeans, a pair of matching Toms, and a brown overcoat to complete the ensemble.

“Jamie,” Her smile widened with the use of his name, “I was going to bring wine but since Fergus is with us, well, I thought soda might be the better option.” She held up the orange bottle, “Don’t worry, it’s sugar-free, I know the two of you had a very long night.” 

“That’s verra kind o’ ye, orange is his favorite,” Jamie said, taking the offered bottle from her and stepping to the side so she could enter. 

“Yes, I remembered him saying so when we did our class introductions. He was very insistent that orange soda was the only authentic fruity flavor.” 

“Aye,” Jamie laughed, “He finds that grape and cherry taste like medicine, and the strawberry is a bit too sweet for his liking.” Jamie helped Claire shed her coat and he hung it on the rack before motioning with his head for her to follow him. “I hope ye like lasagna, Sassenach,” 

Fergus looked up from his task as they entered and gave Claire an excited, cheese-covered wave with his hand, “Good evening, Madame Beauchamp.” 

“Hello, Fergus!” Claire greeted, "Since we’re not at school, you can call me Claire if you’d like. No need to be so formal,” she glanced at Jamie who nodded in approval. 

“But only outside o’ school, do ye understand?” Jamie asked, waiting until Fergus met his eyes before he continued. “At school, she’s still Madame Beauchamp,” 

“Oui, Papa,” Fergus turned on the stool to face Claire, “I promise… Claire.” His face erupted in a toothy grin. 

“Right, now, what are you up to?” Claire asked, walking across the room to stand next to Fergus.

“I’m layering the lasagna,” he explained, “First you put the noodles, then sauce, meat, and cheese.” 

Jamie watched as Fergus verbally explained the process of layering the lasagna before carefully carrying out his own instructions. Lost in the thrill of having his teacher’s rapt attention on him, his body swayed with excitement and he began to slowly lean towards the edge of the stool. Jamie was seconds away from correcting the situation when Claire placed a hand on Fergus’s back to steady him, never taking her focus off his lasagna lesson. Fergus’s body straightened under Claire’s support and Jamie was no longer fearful of a possible catastrophe.

Jamie turned towards his own section of the counter and continued preparing their side salad for dinner; they would need something green and rough to counteract the amount of cheese Fergus would be feeding them for dinner. The trio finished their tasks at the same time, Fergus had even let Claire help assemble the entree after making sure she washed her hands. Jamie grabbed the oven mitts out of the drawer and carefully opened the awaiting oven.

“Fergus?” Jamie questioned warily, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Fergus was an appropriate distance. 

“Six feet!” Fergus shouted in response, gently tugging on Claire’s hand as he backed away, “Papa doesn’t want people near the oven so we must stay six feet away.” 

Claire smiled and happily retreated from the blazing heat to stand at Fergus’s side. 

“Just ye,” Jamie said, slowly arranging the pan to rest in the middle of the oven, “Or do ye want what happened at Grannie’s last year to happen again?” 

“Get too close, did you?” Claire asked looking down at Fergus. 

“Oui,” Fergus nodded affirmatively and rubbed the middle of his forehead with the painful memory, “I didn’t see that Grannie had the door open and I accidentally touched it.” 

“He ran right into it,” Jamie explained to Claire, “Came around the corner and hit the door head-on, practically tore it off.”

“Goodness! I hope you weren’t hurt too bad?” Claire looked once more at Fergus.

“No,” Fergus shrugged, “It was just a little spot, right here,” he pointed to a small circular scar.

“How weird,” Claire leaned in to take a better look, “It’s perfectly round…” 

“Aye, he managed to touch a bit o’ a metal screw,” Jamie shut the oven door and turned the switch to lock it, “Go and play, Fergus, I’ll let ye ken when dinner is ready.” Jamie pulled his phone from his pocket and set a timer. 

“May I watch TV? It’s a special night after all…” Fergus asked, flashing his brown puppy eyes. Claire pulled a hand to cover her mouth in an effort to suppress the giggles escaping her body; Jamie was easily ten times bigger than Fergus but with his pleading eyes Jamie didn’t stand a chance, Claire could see the exact moment Jamie caved to his son’s request. 

“All right… but it’s off the moment dinner is ready. Ye ken?” 

“Aye!” Fergus responded with a small impersonation of his father before running off towards the living room. Jamie waited until he heard the beginning title of  _ Spongebob  _ before walking over to the glass curio resting against the wall. The curio held the more impressive and fragile items he owned; the shelves were covered with various bottles of high-quality liquor, his grandmother's wedding china, and several ceramic figurines. 

“Are we feeling fancy or adventurous tonight, Sassenach?” Jamie asked, shooting a daring smile in her direction behind his shoulder.

“I’m always up for a little adventure,” Claire responded. 

“A lass after my own heart, perfect,” Jamie carefully plucked a simple glass bottle from the bunch and closed the curio’s doors with his selection in hand. He grabbed two tumblers from a cabinet and placed the items on the counter. Claire joined his side and watched as he popped the cork off the glass bottle and poured a small amount of golden-amber liquid into each of the cups.  “Give it a taste,” he handed her one of the tumblers. 

Claire took the glass from him and slowly lifted the container to her face, her nose scrunching when she smelled the contents, “Jesus, Jamie,” she eyed him, “What is this?” 

“Homebrewed whiskey,” he responded, draining his tumbler in one tilt of his head, “Ian and I brew it– for our own consumption, o’ course, though that’s no entirely legal either.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell.” She smiled before taking a deep breath and slamming down the liquid. “My lord!” 

“What do ye think?” 

“It’s strong I’ll give you that, taste leaves something to be desired,”

“It’s meant to get ye drunk, Sassenach, no to be a casual drink.” 

“Are you trying to get me drunk, Mister Fraser?”

“No, uh,” Jamie defended as a flush of pink trailed from his stubbled neck to the tips of his ears. “I would never! I mean if ye dinna want to drink ye dinna have to, a dhia, I should o’ asked...” 

“Jamie,” she placed a warm hand on his arm to stop his rambling, “It was a joke, I’m sorry, I know you would never do something like that, I trust you completely.” 

“You do?” 

“Yes…” she nodded, “I’d trust you with my life, I feel completely safe with you.” Her hand trailed down his arm to hold his fingers. 

“I’m glad to hear ye say that,” Jamie turned his head towards the living room, when he was satisfied that Fergus’s attention was glued to the television, Jamie turned back to Claire and kissed her lips. She pulled him closer, her hands going to wrap around his neck as his settled on her waist. Jamie could taste the whiskey on her tongue which only made him press harder into the kiss– he was determined to taste every inch of her. 

She was incredibly responsive to his touch, her body hummed and gooseflesh rose under the path of his fingers. Jamie walked them slowly backward until they reached something solid to lean on; Claire gasped when her back hit the counter. They broke away for air, resting their foreheads together and gasping for breath. Jamie went back in for a second round and Claire happily joined him– until a laugh from the next room brought her back to reality.

She pulled away from him and he groaned at the loss, “Jamie,” She gripped his shoulders and held him at arm's length. “Fergus could walk in at any moment,” she explained.

“Shite…” Jamie’s face flushed pink once more with the embarrassment of forgetting the proximity of his son. But then again, he was properly distracted and all thoughts of anything besides Claire’s warm body completely escaped his mind. “You’re right,” He nodded, stepping further away from her before the uncontrollable urge to take her could consume him. 

“You’re quite the minx, Sassenach,” 

“Me?” Claire pointed to herself and laughed, “Fraser, if only you could see the predator look on your face right now.” 

“I think that’s enough whiskey for tonight,” Jamie put the cork back into its proper place on the bottle and placed the used tumblers into the sink. He was nowhere near drunk, he had too high of tolerance, his body had simply absorbed the alcohol, yet he felt the effects. He felt giddy, light-headed, and totally consumed by the woman standing across from him. 

“Yes,” Claire nodded in agreement, doing her best to smooth down the mess Jamie had made of her hair. “Soda?” She suggested, picking up the orange bottle from where Jamie had placed it earlier. 

“Aye,” Jamie grabbed three cups and passed them to Claire to fill.

“Fergus!” She called, pouring a slightly smaller amount of the liquid into the middle cup. 

“Dinna bother, Claire, he won’t move until the episode is over,” Jamie told her, picking up the cup and walking into the living room. Fergus was sitting on the floor behind the coffee table with his attention focused solely on the television. He muttered his thanks when Jamie placed the drink in front of him. “After this, wash yer hands, dinner should be ready by then.”

Fergus nodded in acknowledgment.

“I never got the appeal of this one in particular,” Claire said, leaning against the doorway as Jamie approached her. “The entire class loves it, I tried watching it to familiarize myself but my brain turned to absolute mush.”

“True sign yer no a parent, I havena watched anythin’ wi’ proper adult content in years.” 

“So, it’s just the cheese then?”

“Cheese?” Jamie frowned, glancing from Claire to the screen. “Sassenach…” he smiled at her, “He’s a sponge.” 

“How am I supposed to know?!” 

“It’s in the name,” Jamie laughed as Claire rolled her eyes and swatted him playfully. His phone buzzed signaling it was time to take their dinner out of the oven and the two adults returned to the kitchen. “Fergus!” Jamie called once the lasagna was safely placed on the counter and the oven’s door was sealed shut.

“I’m here, Papa,” Fergus said, appearing suddenly beside Claire. “Is dinner ready?”

“Yes, and it smells delicious, let’s wash our hands.” Claire led Fergus to the kitchen sink, moving the stool so Fergus could put his hands under the spout, and together they washed their hands as Jamie set the table. 

“Anywhere ye’d like,” Jamie told Claire as Fergus sat in his usual seat. 

“You can sit next to me!” Fergus said, excitedly patting the open space next to him. Claire obliged and sat in the chair next to Fergus who hummed with glee.

Jamie placed a plate in front of Fergus which consisted mostly of salad and a small amount of lasagna. Much to Claire’s surprise, Fergus ate his salad with no protest; she often battled with her students to eat the fruits and vegetables their parents had packed for their lunches, but then again, Claire couldn’t recall having such a fight with Fergus. He was always perfectly content to eat the entirety of his lunch, often saving his dessert for last as it was meant to be. He was a remarkable child, and Claire knew it was because of Jamie and their strong support system. 

“Do you like it?” Fergus asked, bringing Claire out of her thoughts; Jamie and Fergus were both looking at her, waiting for her to answer. 

“I think it’s the best lasagna I’ve ever eaten,” Claire said to Fergus and she could say with certainty that she was completely truthful.

“If you think Papa is a good cook, wait until you taste my Grannies food! She’s the best.” Fergus said, popping another forkful of cheesy-noodles into his mouth. 

“Is that right?” Clarie asked. 

“Oui!” Fergus responded.

Jamie sat quietly as Fergus ranked his Grannie’s best dishes– based on his opinions– for Claire. She was incredibly patient, listening as he spoke and chiming in with small comments to prove she was listening to him. Every once in a while she would look away from Fergus or up from her plate and their eyes would meet across the top of Fergus’s head. Her whiskey eyes matched the brightness of her smile and it made his insides warm. While she listened to Fergus, he was lost in thought of their earlier activities.

Jamie wasn’t usually so forward with his dates, and those in itself were rare. Fergus was at the top of his priority list so the rare dates he went on often ended with broken promises to reconnect or an awkward side hug, never anything more. The last thing he wanted was for Fergus to get close to someone and be shattered by their sudden disappearance. That particular thought never made itself known when he considered his relationship with Claire, he was more concerned with the possible damage to her career should anyone be found out. 

For once, he was thinking of someone else’s well-being before Fergus's, that had never happened before, Hell, he’d broken an engagement to have Fergus in the first place. He’d been turning down his mother’s and sister’s attempt to set him up for years, citing the importance of parental duties over romantic ones. Yet, Claire was in the foremost position of his brain and he had no desire for it to change. He would have been more than happy to ravage Claire against the kitchen counter but she’d been the one to stop them, she had been the one to be concerned about Fergus potentially catching them. 

Jamie wasn’t sure if he was more appreciative of her concern or disappointed in himself for being so careless.

Despite these thoughts, Jamie felt content. Claire sitting with them at their dinner table and eating the food she’d helped prepare felt right to him. As if they were meant to be. For the first time in a long time, Jamie felt completely whole, for the last time he’d felt this way he’d adopted a little French boy when he’d never considered being a parent before. Jamie wasn’t scared of these feelings or realizations. He was excited. And he hoped that Claire felt the same. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jamie's six-foot rule is my sister's rule, no child is allowed within six feet of the open oven, for the exact reason's Jamie states. One of the kids smacked right into it and ended up with a burn scar in the middle of their forehead (it's an old fashioned oven placed in the middle of the wall and right next to the door). The Spongebob bit is in memory of my great-grandmother. It was all I watched at her house and even though she could always recognize the show, she thought he was cheese, "Are you watching the big yellow cheese?" She would ask with every episode. I miss her terribly and I thought this would be a good homage to her. 
> 
> Jamie and Claire's relationship will be moving rather quickly, though not as quickly as canon. At first, I was going to have Claire and Jamie hide their relationship from Fergus but then I thought that would be practically impossible so Fergus is completely aware of their coupling, but not so knowledgeable of Jamie and Claire's strong feelings. Just like this chapter, I'm planning for the rest of the story to be primarily fluff from here on in now that they're together– with challenges and drama, of course. 
> 
> I'm reading my way through the books, I'm about half-way in 'Dragonfly in Amber' so expect some familiar scenes from the first two if you've read the books, they'll be the ones left out that I feel should have been included in the show. 
> 
> As always, thanks for reading and I hope you guys are having an amazing week!


	9. Chapter 9

"Ye all right, bràthair? Ye’ve been starin’ into space all mornin’.”

"Just a bit distracted,” Jamie answered, not bothering to turn away from the horse he was brushing to face his sister. Jamie brushed the horse’s coat with flicks of his hand, listening as the heel of Jenny’s boot signaled her approach. Jenny said nothing else much to his surprise, instead, she ran one hand down the horse’s muzzle and the other down its throat in a calm, slow motion. “Dinna get too close, ye ken Donas isn’t fond o’ people.”

"Och,” Jenny dismissed his concerns with a wave of her hand, “Even this brute kens better than to bite the hand that feeds him… Ian canna go near him, so I’m that one that brings him his meals. Isn’t that right, Donas?” 

Donas huffed in response. 

Donas was Jamie’s large, stocky pure black sorrel stallion. Having been rescued from an abusive owner years before, Donas had a small list of humans he considered trustworthy; Jenny, Fergus, and Ellen could all get near him when others couldn’t, they could feed him, but only Jamie was able to saddle and ride him. Anyone else who tried was quickly thrown off and almost trampled. Unable to have a horse as a pet in the city, Donas lived on Lallybroch with proper care and freedom to roam. Jamie visited him often, whenever he was at Lallybroch he carved at least an hour to spend time with Donas. 

“It’s gettin’ harder to keep the bairns away,” Jenny continued, “I keep catchin’ Wee Jamie and Hamish tryin’ to sneak in here when they think I’m no lookin’,” 

“Weel, that’s definitely Hamish, Wee Jamie kens better.” 

Jenny nodded in agreement, “I swear Hamish just runs around like he’s some sort o’ Lord, that boy has no discipline whatsoever.” 

“Aye, why do ye think I dinna let Fergus play wi’ the lad?”

Jenny began to hum, a tune Jamie didn’t recognize as Jenny walked around in a circle around Donas, her hand gliding through his black coat until she came to stand on Jamie’s other side. Jamie could see from the corner of his eye as her arms folded and she stared at him with a teasing smirk. 

“What?” Jamie asked, keeping his eyes firmly on Donas. 

Jenny’s smile only widened. 

“What do ye want, Jenny?” Jamie sighed in defeat, realizing his sister wasn’t going to open her mouth unless she had his full attention, he turned away from Donas and glared at her. “Cat finally got yer tongue? About time…” 

“Fergus has been tellin’ Mam and I stories all mornin’, Jamie…” 

Jamie’s body tensed under her knowing look. Fergus must have told them about Claire, granted, they hadn’t specifically told him not to tell anyone, Jamie simply assumed Fergus wouldn’t. The boy wasn’t a gossip like his Grannie or Auntie, but then again, he wasn’t as stone-faced as his father either. Fergus was perfectly square in the middle, he wouldn’t say a word until he was probed about the subject, but once he was, it didn’t take much to break him. He was an open well of information to his Grannie and Auntie who loved to pry in their lives, just a candy bar and he’d tell them anything they wanted to know. 

When Jamie thought about it, he was actually proud of Fergus for keeping it a secret this long. 

“Jenny…” Jamie begged, “Please, dinna tell anyone.” 

“I might not be able to forgive ye for this brother, how could ye no tell us? Ye should see Mam, she’s no happy wi’ ye, keepin’ somethin’ like this a secret.” 

“Ye canna tell a soul, Jenny. Promise me! Bad things could happen.” 

“Bad things?” Jenny frowned, “Weel, I guess Laoghaire would make a bad in-law, she’s too self-centered and would definitely want holiday’s wi’ her.” 

Jamie looked at Jenny completely lost. What in the Hell did Laoghaire have to do with him and Claire? 

“I canna believe it!” Jenny suddenly smiled, reaching out to slap Jamie’s arm, “The lad’s seven and already smitten wi’ a lass. Takes after his Da it seems, charmin’ the lassies so young, Fergus and Marsali would be so cute together. I see them all the time when I pick him up from school, they’re practically handfasted already.” 

Jamie stared at his sister in utter disbelief before tsking and turning his attention back to Donas, followed shortly by a wave of relief, their secret was still safe. 

“What’s the matter? Yer no worrit about him courtin’?”

“Courtin’?” Jamie chuckled, looking at Jenny, “He wears footies to bed and sleeps wi’ a turtle, he’s no courtin’, ‘tis just but a crush. When he swaps the turtle for a razor then I’ll start to worry.” 

“Thank God Wee Jamie’s no into girls yet,” Jenny said, leaning against the wooden confines of Donas’s stall. “He still treats them like they carry the plague.” Jenny snorted at her son’s foolish thoughts. Jenny shook her head with another bout of laughter before pulling away from the stall and making several failed attempts to stop her giggles. 

Jamie continued his work on Donas, knowing Jenny would eventually bubble herself out. By the time Jenny managed to calm herself, Jamie had started cleaning Donas’s shoes while the beast himself nibbled at the bowl of oats hanging on the wall. Jenny straightened herself out, brushed bits of straw off her pants, and took large deep breaths.

“Ye all right?” Jamie asked.

“Aye,” Jenny nodded, running a hand through her long hair, “I think Ian put too much whiskey in the coffee this morn, I’ve been fuzzy all day.”

“Goin’ soft, Jenny?” 

“Shut up!” Jenny yelled, smacking the back of Jamie’s head making him hiss, “I can still drink ye under any table, dinna test me! And ye shouldn’t be so worritt about me, worry about yer son,” 

And with that Jenny stomped out of the barn, leaving Jamie alone with the animals and his thoughts. Wee Jamie was four years older than Fergus and therefore more likely to be around girls, yet it seemed–at least to Jenny– that Fergus was already miles ahead of his cousin and Jamie would be lying if he said he wasn’t starting to see her point. Fergus and Marsali seemed to always be close to each other, so much so that Claire had remembered the girl's name when she had no reason to. Whenever he pulled up to the school for pick-up, Fergus and Marsali always stood side-by-side, laughing to themselves and completely oblivious to the world. But they were children, it couldn’t be more than a simple crush. 

Maybe he should talk to Fergus for posterity’s sake… 

Jamie was just finishing Donas's care when Fergus darted from the house to the barn, slowing to a walk knowing better than to spook Donas. Once inside, Fergus used a bale of hay for leverage as he leaned across the wooden barrier into Donas’s stall to greet the horse. Donas, having smelled Fergus, moved his head in Fergus’s direction. 

“Is he okay?” Fergus asked, placing a kiss on the tip of Donas’s nose.

“He is,” Jamie nodded, exiting the stall and making sure to lock the gate behind him. “Fergus, come wi’ me, we need to have a talk.” Jamie waited for Fergus to hop off the bale of hay before motioning for Fergus to grab his hand. “Dinna fash, lad, yer no in trouble,” Jamie added to address Fergus’s anxious look. 

They walked silently hand-in-hand to the small lake in the middle of the property where Jamie knew they would have privacy. Fergus’s fears having been quenched by Jamie’s assurance, caused him to hop happily along with his father as they walked. Arriving at the lake, Jamie led them to the small dock and sat down at the edge, taking off his boots and socks to dangle his feet in the water, Fergus copied his movements. 

“Yer Auntie…” Jamie began, not quite sure how to continue, he paused for several moments before gathering his thoughts, “Ye’ve been spendin’ a lot of time wi' Marsali,” 

Fergus nodded, “She’s my friend, Papa.” 

“Nothin’ more?” 

Fergus’s nose scrunched with confusion as he looked at his father. God, how do you explain dating to a child whose biggest worry was missing a brand new episode of his favorite show? 

“Ye ken how Claire came to our house and had dinner with us?” 

Fergus nodded again.

“What Claire and I are doin’ is called datin’ or courtin’. It’s when two adults– who like each other verra much– spend time together and talk.” 

“Oh,” Fergus said in understanding, “So, you and Claire are dating?” 

“Yes… Now, ye and Marsali are far too young to be datin, but–”

“Papa!” Fergus interrupted him with a loud laugh, “I like Marsali, but not in that way. Her mam always packs her cookies for snacks and she shares them with me.” 

“Ye only like her because she has cookies?” 

Jamie couldn’t say he wasn’t surprised, Fergus was a sucker for sweets. 

“Well, she’s nice too,” Fergus explained, “She’s the only girl I’ve met who watches Teenage Mutant Turtles and actually likes them, we talk about them during break with Cousin Ian.” 

“And that’s all?” 

Fergus frowned, “What else is there?” 

Jamie sighed in relief, at least they didn’t have to have ‘the talk’ at this age, he had a few more years to go it seemed. Jamie let the conversation go flat as he kicked his feet in the water and watched as Fergus’s toes barely scraped the surface. Fergus gripped Jamie’s arm to anchor himself as he scooted closer to the edge of the dock to submerge his feet further into the water. After a few minutes, Fergus realized he would never be able to comfortably reach and settled back into his previous position. 

“Papa, can I ask you something?” Fergus asked in a low, almost shy voice. 

“Of course,” Jamie responded with a nod. 

“How come you’ve never dated before?” 

“Weel,” Jamie took a large breath, “Yer my top priority, Fergus, always remember that. Ye come first, then the rest of the family with everything else behind. What have I always said?”

“Family comes first,” Fergus said. 

“Aye, that’s right, family first and I was worritt about ye gettin’ hurt. What if I dated some lass and ye liked her then she went away? It would hurt us both, my pain I could handle but not yours, mon fils. I canna bear to handle yers.” Jamie looked at Fergus so he could see the sincerity behind his words. “And what if she hurt ye, physically? I’ll kill any person who lays a hand on ye, woman or no.”

“Why now then? Why Madame Claire?” 

Jamie looked away from Fergus to the still water of the lake, “I guess I’ve never been wilin’ to risk it before now. Besides, I’d bet my life that Claire would never hurt ye.” 

“I don’t think she’d hurt you either, Papa, she looks at you the same way Auntie Jenny looks at Uncle Ian.”

“She does?” Jamie asked, whipping his head to look at Fergus who nodded in confirmation. 

“It’s kind of gross,” Fergus said with a smile.

“Fergus,” Jamie made sure Fergus was listening to him before he continued, “Ye canna tell anyone, Claire and I shouldn’t be datin’ because she’s yer teacher. If ye tell anyone, we could get in trouble.” 

“You want me to lie?” Fergus looked at him in shock, “But Papa, you said lying is wrong.”

“It is, it’s verra wrong, yer right, but it’s no a lie if ye simply dinna tell anyone. Do you understand? It’s just a secret– it’s only a lie if someone asks and ye say we aren’t.” 

“That makes sense,” Fergus agreed.

“Do ye like her, Fergus? Truly like her as more than yer teacher?”

“I do, Papa.”

“I’m glad ye do because I like her too. I think I want her around for a while… what do ye say to that?”

“I say yes!” Fergus threw his arms into the air, “I would like that very much, you could spend more time with her and I can watch more cartoons.”

“Oh, ye want more cartoons and less time wi’ yer Da, aye? Weel, I guess we could start now,” Jamie grinned at Fergus and before Fergus could react, Jamie wrapped his arms around his son and threw them both into the cooling waters of the lake. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a link to what a footie is for those who don't know: https://imgur.com/CJwICr3 (Copy and paste it) 
> 
> I know I promised lots of Claire and Jamie fluff–and there will be– but the next few chapters will mostly be drama and challenges for our favorite couple. Nothing too bad, but one or two of the chapters may have a warning in the beginning notes. 
> 
> I threw in a mock scene from Outlander (the book) in this chapter. After Claire and Jamie return to Leoch after being married, they're having an amorous moment in the stables when they catch Hamish trying to sneak and ride Donas. Jamie stops his cousin and has an honest talk with the boy about sex and bullies, I really wish they would have put this scene in the show. I know Hamish wasn't too much of an important character but I feel like he deserved more attention given his parentage. 
> 
> Thanks again for reading guys and I hope you're all having a fantastic weekend! I plan on having the next chapter up by Thursday or Friday.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said Thursday or Friday but once I got started writing this I couldn't stop! I hope you guys enjoy it, this chapter got away from me and is on the longer side for this fic.

“Good morning, Annabelle… Hello, Roger.” Claire waved her students in and peered around the door to make sure they were settling in. It was a quiet Monday morning which matched her relatively quiet weekend. She’d spent all Friday afternoon with Jamie and Fergus, not leaving their home until two o’clock Saturday morning long after Fergus had gone to bed. Jamie had been exhausted, clearly evident on his face, but he had insisted that she was worth it. Why would he want to sleep when he could be with her? That comment had resulted in a make-out session on the living room couch. 

She’d gone home, showered, and managed to sleep in until eleven, dreaming of Jamie while she rested. Saturday consisted of unpacking and communicating with various friends checking on her, Jamie’s texts were always the first one she responded to. Sunday was very much the same except for the lunch she’d had with Jamie’s lawyer, Ned Gowan. 

Ned Gowan had been a friendly, old yet charming man just a few inches taller than her. They spent the first few minutes of their meeting in polite small talk, after he reassured her that she wouldn’t be paying a dime for his services– some old favor he owed Jamie and his family– Ned cited. Jamie had simply told Ned Claire needed advice on matters of a divorce, allowing Claire to fill in the specifics. In the end, Claire had left the meeting feeling more confident and overwhelmed than she had before. 

They would be filing a petition for divorce within a week citing adultery and unreasonable behavior on Frank’s part. Claire had plenty of evidence to prove Frank had engaged in numerous affairs so when he tried to fight this aspect– Ned said he probably would and Claire agreed– they would have proof that they weren’t just claims. His unreasonable behavior would be harder to support since Frank provided monetarily and although he made drunken threats of abuse, he’d never once hit her, but it wouldn’t be impossible. Adultery was their main defense since it came with a time constraint of a year which was quickly approaching and Ned insisted that as long as she hadn’t been intimate with another man– she promised she hadn’t been– this was the best route.

They would be meeting again on Wednesday to sign the appropriate documents and Ned would journey to Edinburgh the next day to file the paperwork. She was nervous and frightened of having to deal with Frank, but today was a new day and Claire was determined not to let those thoughts dictate her life. 

She greeted her students, giving hugs and high-fives to those who requested them, all while waiting for her favorite pair. They were easily picked from the crowd. Scotland was full of tall, red-headed men yet Jamie still managed to tower above them all, only Dougal came close in height. Fergus was a whirlwind of energy with his mop of curly hair jiggling as he bounced next to his father. 

“Bonjour, Madame Beauchamp, good morning!” Fergus said, both Fraser men coming to a stop a few feet away from her. 

“Good morning, Fergus!” Claire smiled at him, “Looks like we’re matching today,” She looked down at her sky blue blouse and then at Fergus’s blue Transformers shirt. 

“Papa, regarde!” Fergus tugged at his shirt.  _ (Papa, look!)  _

“I see, laddie,” Jamie said, patting the top of Fergus’s head, “It’s quite the coincidence.” Jamie looked up to shoot Claire a one-eyed wink. “I have to get goin’, ye be good today, aye?” 

“I promise,” Fergus said, wrapping his arms around the top of Jamie’s thighs and squeezing his father in a hug. “I love you, Papa.”

“Och, I love ye too, Fergus.” Jamie returned the embrace and bent down to place a kiss on Fergus’s forehead. 

Jamie was by far the most physically affectionate father of her class. The other fathers tended to wish their child a good day and only some would offer a quick hug. Today’s moment was just like every other day Jamie dropped Fergus off, a loving embrace accompanied by soothing words of affirmation– Jamie never left without them. He’d force Fergus off the playground to say a proper goodbye the rare times Jamie didn’t escort Fergus to class. It only made Claire fall for him more. 

“Ye look lovely today, Madame Beauchamp,” Jamie said, giving her a quirky smile. “The blue of yer blouse matches yer bubbly personality.” 

“Well,” Claire started, tucking a strand of hair behind her hair with a blush, “I received some very good news from my lawyer yesterday.”

“Oh, really?” 

Jamie knew that she and Ned had met but he hadn’t been told of the outcome, Claire wanted to do that in person. 

“Yes,” Claire nodded, giving him a smile of her own. “But that’s not talk for school,” she glanced at Fergus who was watching her expectedly, listening carefully to their conversation. Claire knew Jamie had talked to Fergus over the weekend, he was told of their situation and agreed to keep quiet; it was handled, Jamie assured. 

“Are you ready, Fergus? Seems your Dad has a meeting to attend.”

“Shite!” Jamie glanced at his watch, apparently forgetting his important meeting with their playful banter. “I really have to go, I love ye, Fergus!” Jamie placed another kiss on Fergus’s forehead before turning and rushing off to work, leaving Claire and Fergus alone in the hall. 

“Madame?” Fergus said quietly, tugging lightly on the hem of her blouse to get her attention. Claire leaned down to his level so she could hear his whisper, “Papa wouldn’t stop talking about you.” And with that Fergus disappeared behind her and retreated into the classroom. 

Claire took a moment to gather herself before deciding that Fergus needed to work on these little bomb-drops and joining her students for the day.

The morning went by quickly and before Claire knew it, she was escorting her class to the fields for physical education. Dougal stood waiting for them in his usual yellow short shorts, grey Leoch shirt, and whistle hanging around his neck. His arms were crossed and his face held an evil smile. Released into his care, her students flocked to join the other class already seated on the bleachers in front of Dougal awaiting his instruction. 

Claire didn’t know why but her gut was telling her to stay, a move she’d later be thankful for. 

She sat at the edge of the bleachers watching as Dougal told the class of today’s activity– tag. Each student was given a belt velcroed with two strips of fabric, flag-tag, it seemed. The goal was to run around collecting as many flags as they could, each student had two flags and once they were gone they would be out and resigned to the benches until the next round. The exercise seemed relatively tame and simple compared to what Dougal forced the older children to do. 

Claire watched from her seat as the students pulled on their belts and stood motionless waiting for Dougal’s whistle, after the blow, everything turned to chaos. Claire couldn’t keep an eye on any student for long as they ran around and eventually got lost within the crowd. Dougal acted as referee, calling out the children who no longer had any flags yet continued to play and judged any claims of cheating. 

The first round was over after ten minutes with a third of the group remaining on the field, Claire noticed Fergus was one of them, his small and lithe frame combined with his massive amount of energy made him a hard target, he still held both of his flags. Dougal started the next round and much like the first Fergus remained untouched, this time he stood with a smaller group of students. 

Dougal seemed to be managing the students well and Claire had grown bored watching the escapades, as Dougal started the third round, Claire looked to her phone for entertainment. She texted Jamie, informing him of his son’s athletic prowess to which she only received a smiley emoji in response. He then asked about her conversation with Ned.

Maybe if Claire had not been texting Jamie at that moment she later would have been able to tell him exactly what happened. 

She was halfway through telling him of her and Ned’s meeting when it happened. She heard it before she saw it. She heard the smashing of human bodies, what sounded like a loud crack followed shortly by a scream. Claire glanced up from her screen to see Fergus’s body fall to the ground. She was on her feet before she could process what was happening, slipping off her heels to traverse the dirt and grass to make getting to him easier. 

Fergus was in a ball on the ground, clutching his right arm and howling in pain. 

“Fergus!” Claire shouted, kneeling on the ground, “What happened?” Claire asked the group of students surrounding them. Dougal was on the other side of Fergus, on the ground like she was, switching between cursing and muttering assurances in Gaelic. 

“It was an accident!” One of the students, a large boy, swore. The child was almost twice the size of Fergus and with the stream of tears accompanied by an apologetic face, Claire was sure this had been the child who knocked Fergus down. “I didn’t mean to! I-I-”

“Go and get the nurse,” Claire instructed him, both to calm him and get him away so Claire could think. “Fergus, you’re going to be okay.” Claire ran a hand through Fergus’s hair and looked at Dougal. Dougal’s face was tight and Claire recognized that he felt ashamed, though whether it was because a student got hurt under his watch or because that student was his nephew, Claire wasn’t sure. 

“It’s just a sprain, laddie,” Dougal said, placing a gentle hand on Fergus’s legs trying to force him to uncurl. “Walk it off,” 

Claire wasn’t so sure it was just a sprain; Fergus’s arm was bent at too odd of an angle, it had to be broken, but at least there wasn’t bone sticking out.

“No,” Claire quickly said, causing Dougal to frown in her direction, “Fergus, I know it hurts but I need to move your arm, okay?” 

“What are ye doin’ Beauchamp? Yer no a doctor!” Dougal shouted. 

“I am, actually,” Claire told him, carefully placing her hands on Fergus’s arm.

“Yer no doin’ anythin’ to the lad!” Dougal yelled, grabbing Claire’s hands and pulling them off of Fergus. “Yer a head doctor, no the one we need. Ye will no touch him!”

“We have to move his arm up before it swells too much!” Claire shouted back. “It’s better in the long run.”

“Yer just his teacher, I’m his Uncle and I say we dinna do anythin’ until the nurse gets here.” 

“His uncle?” Claire scoffed, “You’re the last person on Jamie’s list of contacts, I don’t think he wants you making any decisions for his son.”

Dougal looked taken aback, the first time she’d ever seen the man speechless, Jamie had apparently not told his uncle of his ranking regarding Fergus’s care. Dougal’s jaw clenched and Claire prepared for another fight as she moved towards Fergus, but to her surprise Dougal did nothing.

“I’m so sorry,” Claire whispered to Fergus before gently moving his arm up towards his head causing Fergus to let out another scream. “I know, I know,” Claire said, wiping the tears off Fergus’s cheek. “We have to slow the swelling.” 

“I want my Papa!” Fergus choked out through the tears. Shit, Jamie. 

“I’m callin’ him now,” Dougal said, pulling out his phone. 

“Call Jenny too,” Claire added, knowing Jenny was much closer than Jamie and second on his list. 

“Aye,” Dougal nodded, phone to his ear and eyeing Claire. 

“Back away, give him some air, I said back up!”

The crowd of students parted to let the nurse through who quickly collapsed onto the ground next to Claire. Geillis Duncan was the fiercest woman Claire had ever met, her blazing red hair matched her personality perfectly. Geillis reached into her medical bag and pulled out several instant ice packs, snapping them in half to activate the chemicals before gingerly placing them on Fergus’s arm.

“Who moved his arm?” Geillis asked, shooting Dougal a look. 

“She did!” Dougal hurriedly pointed at Claire to shift the blame, “She moved him, I told her no to!” 

“Aye, and she was right. Good job, Beauchamp.” Geillis complimented, smiling at her before turning back to Fergus. “How ye doin’, fox cub?” Geillis’s voice was low and soothing. 

“Hurts,” Fergus mumbled, still clutching his arm. His eyes darted around until they landed on Claire, finding the comfort he was looking for. 

“You’re all right,” Claire smiled, pushing the damp hair off his forehead. “You’re doing so good, Fergus.” Geillis narrowed her eyes at the exchange but said nothing. 

“Hear that?” Geillis placed a hand around her ear to amplify the sound, “The ambulance should be here any second for ye.” Geillis smiled down at Fergus before turning to Dougal once more, “Did ye get a hold of his Da?” 

“No,” Dougal shook his head, “Straight to voicemail.” 

Claire used their distraction as the opportunity to pull out her phone and send Jamie a text:  _ Accident at school, Fergus hurt, probably broken arm, call Dougal. _

She shoved her phone back into her pocket as the ambulance was escorted onto the field by another member of staff Claire didn’t recognize. Just as the paramedics made their way to Fergus, Colum arrived, limping slowly to join the chaos. 

“What happened?” Colum asked Dougal.

“Just an accident,” Dougal said. 

“Accident?” Colum’s voice boomed, “It’s no accident if we have to call an ambulance!” 

Claire stepped to the side as a paramedic carefully examined Fergus’s arm; by this time, Fergus’s tears were silent but hadn’t slowed, his eyes and teeth clenched. 

“Looks like a broken arm,” the paramedic said to Geillis. “The ice packs and movement slowed down the swellin’, any head injuries?” 

“There doesna appear to be” Geillis answered. 

“Aye, still, to be careful we’ll use a stretcher, ye ready to go, laddie?” the paramedic glanced down at Fergus, “We’ll turn the sirens on nice and loud for ye.” 

Claire was pushed further back as the two paramedics gently wrapped Fergus’s arm and transferred him onto a gurney. She stepped forward as he was put in the rig, more than prepared to go with him but stopped as Colum moved forward.

“I’m his Uncle,” Colum explained when the paramedics tried to stop him, “Ye wouldna be able to stop me if ye tried.” 

“I’m comin’ too!” Geillis said, making her way to sit next to Fergus.

Claire watched as the doors slammed shut and the ambulance slowly pulled away with the sirens blaring, leaving her and Dougal to clean up the mess. 

“I got a hold of Jenny,” Dougal said, running a hand against the back of his neck, “She kens to call Colum, the boy will be fine.” 

Dougal turned away from her as if nothing had happened, he commanded the students to line up on the field for roll call. Claire wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered against the chilly wind. Of all the children… She wanted nothing more than to meet Fergus at the hospital, to be with him as he waited for Jamie, but Claire knew she couldn’t. It wasn’t appropriate, as Dougal had said, she was just his teacher. 

The rest of the physical education hour was cut short and for the rest of the day, canceled. Claire led her small group of students back to the classroom, they were abnormally quiet given the circumstances. Claire didn’t have the heart or mindset to continue with their planned math lesson, instead, she pulled up Netflix on the projection screen and they watched Spongebob for the rest of the day. 

Fergus would have loved it. 

Claire was visited soon after by another teacher and the only coworker she’d befriended, Mary Hawkins. Mary told Claire that in instances like these Leoch would send out an announcement to the parents by phone call and email, detailing the accident and what steps had been taken to remedy it. It was a way for parents to soothe, and prepare their children, as well as to clear Leoch of any legal responsibility; though Mary was sure the parent would not be suing the school in this case. 

Mary, bless her heart, noticed how distracted Claire was and stayed with her for the rest of the day, offering comfort to her and adding instruction to the students. Instead of supervising pick-up as she normally did, at two-forty-five Claire was in her car and driving to the hospital Fergus had been taken to. Geillis had sent the information to Mary who then passed it to Claire, both women knowing Claire would want to visit. Claire parked in the visitors center and made her way to the reception desk to find out where Fergus had been taken to. From behind the receptionist, Claire noticed that a short red-headed woman had both Colum and Dougal pinned against the wall behind them.

“Never mind,” Claire told the receptionist, walking in the direction of the accosted brothers. Claire didn’t recognize the woman, but immediately knew she was of some relation to Jamie, they looked exactly the same. 

“He could have been hurt!” 

Claire heard the woman say as she got closer. 

“Ellen–” Dougal started but was quickly interrupted.

“No! He was under yer watch, the both o’ ye! And look what happened! Yer lucky it was just a broken arm, I’d have ye by the necks if it was anythin’ worse.” Ellen was shorter than both of the men, she was seething with anger and the two men clearly knew better than to test her. 

“My grandson was hurt today,”

Grandson? Not only was she related to Jamie but she was his mother, meaning Colum and Dogal were her brothers; no wonder the two men looked both indifferent and wary. 

Ellen opened her mouth to speak again, but thought better of it and simply dismissed her brothers with the wave of her hand. Colum and Dougal quickly rushed away, Dougal shot Claire a questioning look as they passed where she stood in the hall. Claire turned to watch them leave, unaware of the presence next to her until she was startled by a voice.

“And who are ye?”

Claire turned to find that Ellen had moved in her direction. 

“Me? Um, I’m Claire Beauchamp, Ferugs’s teacher.” Claire said.

_ I’m also dating your son, _ she thought.

“Yer Fergus’s teacher?” Ellen asked, stepping closer to Claire. “And where exactly were ye when it happened? Why didn’t ye stop it?” 

“I…” Claire trailed off not having an answer. She should have been able to stop it, Claire realized, had she not been texting the boy’s father. It was only then that the lingering feeling in her chest made itself known as guilt. 

“You’re right,” Claire simply said. “I should have done more.” 

“Aye…” Ellen nodded in agreement, clearly expecting a similar fight as Colum and Dougal. Ellen crossed her arms, keeping her eyes firmly on Claire’s as they stood in the middle of the hallway.    
“Is he okay?” Claire asked, breaking the uneasy silence. 

“Yes, he will be,” Ellen answered and Claire let out a sigh of relief at her words. “Broken arm looks to be a clean break but we will no ken until the x-rays come back.” 

“Thank God!” Claire said, closing her eyes and sending a quick prayer of thanks to whatever God may hear. 

“Mam, can ye– Claire?” 

Ellen and Claire both turned to look towards his voice, Jamie was standing in the doorway of what Claire assumed to be Fergus’s room, looking from his mother to his girlfriend, his face flashing between terror and elation. His hair was an absolute mess, the red curls that had been pinned so neatly this morning stuck up at odd ends, a clear sign of his distress. His suit was no better in appearance, wrinkled with his jacket gone revealing a coffee-stained white dress shirt. 

“Mam, can ye sit with Fergus? He’s askin’ for ye.” Jamie said, stepping to the side so Ellen could pass him.

“O’ course, anythin’ for the lad,” Ellen said, standing rooted to the floor for several seconds before hurriedly walking into the room. Jamie waited until Ellen was completely through the door before shutting it to give them some semblance of privacy. 

Jamie looked absolutely terrible and Claire wanted nothing more than to rush forward and comfort him. 

“He’s okay?” Claire asked. 

“Aye, aye he is,” Jamie nodded, “Claire, I...I,” His voice broke and he covered his face with his hands. His body began to shake, the emotions he’d been holding in since he’d gotten the call hours ago clearly needing some sort of escape. 

_ Consequences be damned _ , Claire thought. She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around his shaking frame, ducking as he lifted his arms to return the embrace. She rested her cheek on the middle of his broad chest as he buried his nose into her hair. 

“He’s okay, Jamie, he’s okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I try to make the information in my fics as realistic as possible, but I made a small mistake with this one. In the UK, you only have six months to use adultery as a reason for divorce but I remembered it as a year, and since Claire and Frank have been almost separated for a year... I'm moving the timeline just a little. 
> 
> This chapter is a reminder to Claire that despite her and Jamie's feelings she's "just" Fergus's teacher but at the same time, a great comfort to Jamie. Geillis wasn't initially supposed to be the school's nurse but I feel like she would thrive in a semi-medical, bossy leadership position, especially over children who can't really fight back. Ellen and Claire's meeting went differently in my head, but I like how it turned out, nothing like meeting your boyfriend's mother after she accuses you of being one of the reasons his child was hurt. On that note, we all know Claire isn't guilty of Fergus's accident, she technically wasn't the supervising teacher so if it's anyone's fault it's Dougal's, and that alone is a stretch since it was an accident. 
> 
> Just a few more chapters of low-flamed angst and then it's back to fluff, I promise! 
> 
> Dougal's short shorts: https://imgur.com/a/hlRgkg4
> 
> Flag belt used in tag: https://imgur.com/a/0584oNA


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kept forgetting to post it but I finally remembered: This fic is titled after the lovely song "Somewhere Only We Know", specifically Elizabeth Gillies and Max Schneider's cover.
> 
> Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hUWYGcJVoU (copy and paste)

“Feeling better?” Claire asked, running her hand down Jamie’s strong back. His body had long since stopped shaking but they held firm in their embrace, relishing their own little world. Claire felt as Jamie nodded against her hair and pulled back enough to run a finger through one of the curly strands. 

“Aye, much better,” Jamie said with a smile, it wasn’t his usual smile but given the circumstances, Claire would accept it. He reluctantly pulled away from her arms and ran his hand down his face with a groan. “Been too long of a day,” he began, walking backward until he found the chairs against the walls, plopping into it with a thud. 

“First, my clients in that big meetin’ were absolute idiots, they dinna listen to a word I say but pay richly so we keep them on. Then Murtagh calls me freakin’ out about Bonnet– ye met him at yer house. In one of the jobs they did last week, the client reported some stolen items and Murtagh is up in arms, he’s sure Bonnet did it but doesna have any evidence.”

“Bonnet…” Claire whispered, trying to remember the man’s appearance. It appeared suddenly and she shuddered at the thought. She remembered Stephen Bonnet well enough considering her subconscious was doing everything it could to remove his image; Claire had felt uncomfortable with him the moment he entered the room, she wasn’t entirely surprised that the allegation popped up, Bonnet seemed the type. “Can’t Murtagh just fire him?” 

“Not wi’out evidence,” Jamie shook his head. “Besides this Bonnet shows up to work on time and does his job, Murtagh doesna have a reason to adequately fire him,” Jamie explained, motioning for her to take the empty seat next to him. Claire sat into the chair and he took her hands in his, stroking the soft expanse of her skin with his thumb. “I was on the phone wi’ him when Dougal called, Murtagh was in a state so I didna want to let him go wi’out talkin’ him down. Then Dougal called again followed by Colum and that’s when I kent somethin’ was wrong. I finally saw yer text and then Colum filled me in on the rest.” 

Jamie shifted in his chair to face her, “Thank ye, Claire, Colum and Geillis told me what ye did, movin’ Fergus’s arm so it wouldna swell.” 

“Everyone seems to forget that I am a doctor,” she said, smiling at him. “It was instincts, especially when I saw it was Fergus, my heart was in my throat and I just went on autopilot. I don’t know what happened, I can barely remember it,” she shook her head, “It was terrible, Jamie, he was on the ground in so much pain and I couldn’t do anything to help him.”

“Ye did, Claire! I ken ye did, he told me so, he said ye never left his side until the paramedics made ye and even then he was sure ye were goin’ to charge through them like a bull. It would have been much worse had ye not been there. I’m sorry my Mam thought ye were to blame, I blame Dougal for not payin’ attention but even then, it was an accident. I’ll talk to her and make sure she kens ye had no part to play but makin’ Fergus better.”

Claire shook her head, “That’s not how I wanted to meet your mother but I don’t blame her, she was just worried and scared. Fergus is the sweetest little boy on the planet, I’m sure hearing that he was injured was just a shock.”

“Still,” Jamie said, “She shouldna have spoken to ye like that, I willna tolerate it either, I promise I’ll sort it out.” 

“Jamie,” she placed a hand on his chest, “Don’t worry about that right now, focus on Fergus. Clean break you said?”

“Aye, they've already cast him. They’re keepin’ him overnight just to be sure there’s no any brain damage, he’ll be goin’ home first thing in the morn.” 

“You better not be sending that poor boy to school,”

“Of course no! He’s staying home until at least Thursday, I'm takin' some time off to be wi’ him.”

“That’s good, Jamie. I’ll make him a little packet so he’ll stay caught up.”

“I appreciate that Sassenach, now, would ye like to see him?” 

“Yes!” Claire said without hesitation. 

Jamie was the first to stand, grabbing her hand and slowly pulling her from the chair. They walked into the room on their right, Jamie leading the way with Claire close behind, shutting the door behind them. Fergus looked absolutely tiny in the large hospital bed. He was lying with the upper half of his body propped up with his bottom covered in a tan blanket, an IV and pulse monitor was attached to his good arm. His green plaster cast was cradled to his chest, fondling with the hard material as he talked with his grandmother. 

Ellen was running her hand through Fergus’s hair when she spotted them. 

“Fergus,” Jamie said, crossing the room to stand at the bottom of Fergus’s bed. “Look who came to see ye,”

Fergus turned away from Ellen and looked towards the door, his eyes widening and a smile spreading on his face when he saw Claire, “Madame! You came!” He shifted in his bed in her direction. “I was hoping you would,”

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Claire said, moving to sit in the chair Jamie pulled up next to Fergus for her. “How are you feeling?” 

“I’m okay,” Fergus responded, relaxing back into the sheets, “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” 

“Such a strong laddie,” Ellen commented, tucking the blanket tighter around Fergus. 

“And brave,” Claire smiled at Fergus, “You’re quite the talk of the school, I wouldn’t be surprised if that cast is filled with signatures by Friday.” 

“Serez-vous le premier?” Fergus asked, looking at her hopefully.  _ (Will you be the first?) _

“Je serais honoré!”  _ (I would be honored!) _

Claire signed his cast with her name and a crude drawing of a pineapple, before handing off the marker to Jamie and then Ellen in turn. Claire spent the next hour with the Frasers talking about her brief career as a psychologist and how she came to Scotland, both subjects were brought up by Ellen, who Claire knew was using the time to vet her. Despite the initial awkwardness, by the time visiting hours were over Claire felt she had made headway with the Fraser matriarch. Jamie offered to walk her to her car but Claire turned him down, the pain medication was starting to take effect and Fergus had become groggy, the feeling making him anxious and Claire couldn’t tear Jamie away. 

The next day, Claire and Dougal were forced to fill out various reports regarding ‘the incident’ as the staff called it while the school was called into an assembly. There was a brief anti-bullying lecture–Claire wasn’t sure how this was relative– and the proper way to handle such a situation should a teacher not be immediately present. Leoch Academy was of course not accepting any fault and Jamie texted Claire that night with an update on Fergus as well as how Colum stopped by unexpectedly with papers for Jamie to sign, waiving any future rights for a lawsuit. 

On Wednesday she met with Ned to sign the divorce papers and he called the following day to let her know they’d been properly filed. Fergus was not back at school on Thursday as Jamie initially estimated, Fergus had started complaining of headaches prompting Jamie to keep him home, taking more vacation days to stay with him. The rest of the week went by smoothly and Fergus didn't develop any more symptoms.  


Saturday morning, bright and early, Claire was awoken by the shrill ringing of her phone. 

“Hello?” she muttered, brushing the hair away from her face.

“Sassenach? Och, I’m sorry, I didna meant to wake ye,” 

“No! Not at all, you didn’t wake me, I’ve been up for ages.” she lied, sitting up in her bed. 

Jamie made a noise in his throat, clearly not having believed a word she said. 

“Is everything all right?” she asked. 

“Yes, no, weel…” he trailed off for a moment, “I need a favor, a big favor.” 

“What is it?” 

“I just got called into work, there’s a crisis that apparently only I can handle,” he grumbled, “And since I’ve been out all week, my boss is forcin’ my hide, I have to go in. My Mam is wi’ her friends, Jenny and Ian are out o’ town, Murtagh is at a job… Is there any way ye could watch Fergus for me? Just for a few hours?” 

“Of course,” Claire answered immediately, “When would you bring him over?”

“Um, ten minutes?” 

Claire could hear the surprise in his voice; either he was shocked at her answer or how quickly she’d agreed, nonetheless, she was happy to do it. They hung up and Claire launched into action, getting dressed and making the house somewhat tidy. Claire didn’t realize just how nervous she was until she caught sight of Jamie and Fergus walking up the driveway. Jamie was asking her to watch Fergus, not as a teacher, but as his partner, this one afternoon could make or break their entire relationship.

Claire swung open the door before Jamie had a chance to knock, “Hello! Come in, come in,” she stepped aside so they could enter. 

“Thank ye, Claire, really,” Jamie said, guiding Fergus in with a hand on his shoulder. “Usually, Murtagh wouldna mind havin’ him on a job but wi’ Bonnet, he doesna want to take any risks. Ye ken?” 

“Of course,” Claire smiled at them, “Anytime, Jamie,” 

“I’ll only be a few hours, I promise,” Jamie said, looking between them, “Fergus behave, and I love ye.” 

“I know, Papa.” Fergus nodded, clicking his shoes together as he held tightly onto the strap of his book bag. 

“Aye…” Jamie eyed his son before turning to Claire, “Sassenach–”

“We’ll be fine,” Claire assured him, “I think I’ve got some board games around here somewhere.” 

“Oh?” Jamie quirked an eyebrow, “Good luck wi’ that,” He leaned forward and much to her surprise, he kissed her lips. He wasn’t usually so forward around Fergus, but Clarie chalked it up to the stress of the last few days. Jamie gave another warning to Fergus and words of thanks to Claire before rushing off to his emergency meeting, leaving Claire and Fergus alone by the door. 

Fergus stared expectedly at her, waiting for further instruction as Claire tried to think of what to do next. If she was being honest, she had no idea how to interact with a child that wasn’t in a school or office setting, there it was easy. She could either spend the time reading a book and doing worksheets, or talking about feelings, but in her home she had nothing. She didn’t own any video games, have any toys and Jamie apparently thought that a board game was a no-go. She didn’t know what to do. 

Her silent prayers were answered when she heard the rumble of Fergus’s stomach. 

“Hungry?”

He nodded eagerly. 

“Me too,” she said, “Let’s go make some breakfast, shall we?” Fergus reached out and grabbed her hand, waiting for her to lead him to the kitchen. 

Breakfast was an easy affair. Claire showed Fergus how to make poached eggs and together they whisked up the batter for French toast. After breakfast, Claire showed Fergus around the house, telling him about the small changes she was planning on making, primarily painting which Fergus quickly offered to help with. They spent the morning watching Netflix with Jamie checking in every hour on the hour, Claire assured him they were doing fine with a text and a picture. For lunch Claire made grilled cheese sandwiches, her doing the actual grilling while Fergus buttered the bread. 

When their plates were clear, Fergus pulled a football from his bag, “Would you like to play with me?” he asked, holding the white and black ball in his one good hand. It only required feet and her yard was fenced in meaning the ball couldn’t go far, so Claire conceded. 

“I’m not very good,” Claire warned as they took their positions on the grass. 

“It’s okay! You just have to try,” Fergus said, kicking the ball in her direction and it zoomed between her legs. 

“Jesus!” she whipped around, “That was good, Fergus, I barely saw it go by.” 

“I love football,” Fergus said, bouncing up and down as he waited for Claire to retrieve the ball. “Don’t use your hands, use your feet!” he shouted when she bent to pick up the ball. 

“All right, here it goes,” she kicked it towards him, Fergus caught it easily between his feet. “Use the inside of your foot,” he twisted his body to show her the proper kicking technique, “You have more control and no risk of hurting your toes.” 

“Do you play on a team?” Claire asked, kicking the ball the way he showed her, Claire found Fergus to be right as the ball went faster though he still caught it with ease. 

“Non,” he said, dribbling the ball, “I want to, but Papa is always busy, I play with my cousins sometimes but that’s it.” 

Claire nodded in understanding, she’d never had the time in her childhood for hobbies. She was always so busy helping Lamb with his digs that she never thought of extracurriculars, even if she had, they moved too often for her to be able to participate. Claire had never been one for sports, the idea of chasing after a ball held little interest to her, but Claire found herself enjoying playing football with Fergus. He was good, catching every one of her shots while she never got any of his. 

After twenty minutes of exercise in the sun, she was hot, sweaty, and desperately craving a glass of cold water. She excused her into the house to grab some, insisting that Fergus continue to play while she was gone. Inside, she took a picture of Fergus through the window and sent it to Jamie. She placed her phone on the counter and grabbed the pitcher of water from the refrigerator, pouring two glasses. 

She looked up, her body freezing at the sight, and the pitcher slipped from her hands to shatter on the floor. 

Fergus was holding his ball against his chest and talking with a man. 

“Fergus!” she shouted, running out of the house, “Go inside!” 

“Madame?” Fergus frowned, turning away from the man and giving her a questioning look. “Are you okay?” 

“Fergus, please,” Claire said, Fergus gave her another look but did as he was told, rushing up the steps to take refuge in the house. Claire watched to make sure Fergus was inside before turning to face the man before her.

“Was that really necessary, Claire?” he sneered.  


“Frank…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, yes, Frank's reign of terror officially begins with this chapter and he's turning out nastier than I intended, but I'm sure you guys will love that. I always knew he was going to pop into Claire's life with this exact scene and I'm sure you guys can imagine how Jamie will feel about this.
> 
> I 100% agree that Claire had no reason to feel guilty over Fergus's accident but it's hard not to when someone gets hurt and you're in the immediate area– especially if it's a child you have strong ties to. Claire felt a million times better after seeing Fergus with her own two eyes and even excuses Ellen's behavior.
> 
> I'm working on a new Outlander fic where Claire and Brianna go back through the stones fourteen years before canon, I'm hoping to have it up soon so stay tuned for that. 
> 
> The next chapter will be fluffy with small amounts of angst.
> 
> Thanks for reading guys!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has very light angst, mentions of miscarriage and infidelity. Enjoy the chapter!

“Frank…”

Claire took a step back, trying to get as far away from him as she could. Frank donned his usual three-piece with a long dark overcoat and a grey fedora he was currently lifting from the top of his head. He let his arm drop, fedora hanging next to his leg with his eyes firmly glued on her. His sneer, though she hadn’t seen it in almost a year was exactly how she remembered, mostly teeth with his lips curling just a bit at the corner of his mouth. 

“Lovely home, Claire,” he said, peering at the house behind her, his eyes latching onto a particular spot. Claire turned just in time to see Fergus’s head quickly drop out of sight, he was watching them. “Who’s the little boy?” Frank asked, sounding genuinely curious. 

“He’s a student,” Claire said, stepping in front of Frank to block his view of the building and Fergus. “What do you want Frank?”

“What do I want?” he asked, returning his gaze to her, “My wife filed for divorce, don’t you think I deserve to know why?” 

“Why?” Claire said nearly shouting, “We’ve been separated for almost a year, need I remind you that you cheated on me. That’s why.”

“That’s not reason enough! I told you, those girls meant nothing to me, only you, Claire.”

“They meant enough for you to stick your cock in them!” 

“What was I supposed to do?” he asked, exasperated, after all, this conversation wasn’t their first on the subject. “My wife wouldn’t touch me–”

“I lost a child, Frank!” Claire shouted, quickly glancing towards the window to make sure Fergus wasn’t still watching them before turning to Frank. “I lost our child,” her voice dropped to a whisper, “I wanted comfort, I needed time and you gave me none of that.” 

“I was grieving,” Frank defended. 

“No, you were selfish. This divorce is long overdue, Frank, and I have every intention of pursuing it now.”

“I’m contesting it!”

“I knew you would,” Claire nodded solemnly, “My lawyer and I have prepared for it, now get off my property!” 

“The little boy is your student?” he asked, plopping his fedora back on his hair slicked head. “I don’t know many teachers who watch their students outside of school, let alone on a weekend. I was talking with him, you know? When you so rudely interrupted us, fascinating child, he is, though a bit off. Is he mental?”

“Frank,” Claire warned, gritting her teeth. 

“Alright, alright,” he held up his hands in surrender, “I’m leaving… though not for long. I’ve got a motel in town, why don’t you visit without the brat behind you and we can have a proper chat, hm?” he tossed a card at her feet. 

“This isn’t over, Claire, not by a long shot.” he gave his own warning before turning and walking out of the yard. Claire watched with her arms wrapped around her middle as Frank climbed into the waiting taxi, she waited until the car turned the corner before she allowed herself to relax. 

“Are you okay?” Fergus asked, making Claire turn towards him. Fergus was frowning with his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed, he was worried. 

“Fergus,” Claire rushed over to him and swept him into a hug. “Are you all right? He didn’t touch you, did he?” 

“No,” Fergus said, shaking his head against her belly. “He was… weird, but he didn’t do anything.”

“Thank God,” Claire whispered, hugging Fergus closer. 

“Madame–”

“I’m all right, thank you. Let’s go inside? We can turn on some cartoons.” Claire suggested. Fergus nodded, breaking free from her grasp and grabbing her hand to gently pull her inside. Claire turned her head as she walked, reassuring herself that Frank was no longer there as she let Fergus lead her inside.

Claire sat on the couch to rest her shaking legs as Fergus went to the kitchen to grab her some water, having given him free rein of the house earlier, he knew exactly where to go. He brought her a glass before turning on the television and sitting next to her, offering his silent comfort with his mere presence. Even though he was adopted, Fergus resembled Jamie greatly, sharing the same mannerisms and facial expressions; in fact, if Jamie hadn’t told her of Fergus’s origins she would never have guessed they weren’t related by blood, a big win for nurture over nature. 

They cuddled on the couch, Fergus leaning into her side and clutching her arm while her cheek rested on the top of his head. She wasn’t paying attention to the cartoons, simply watching the minor distraction with half-closed eyes, her thoughts on Frank and his vague warning. She briefly wondered how he’d found her, she hadn’t told him where she was moving and knew none of her friends would betray her trust. He was a pitbull when it mattered, stubborn and extremely connected. He must’ve used one of his manly friendships to find her location, the thought made her feel unsafe in her home.

The sudden slam of the front door made Claire and Fergus jump from the couch.

“Where is he?!” Jamie shouted, suddenly appearing before them, shaking with fury. He didn’t wait for an answer before leaving the living room and beginning a search through the house.

“Papa!” Fergus shouted with glee, still standing next to Claire. 

Jamie reappeared moments later, having done a sweep of the house and satisfied that the source of his anger wasn’t present. 

“Jamie,” Claire put a hand on her chest to calm her racing heart, “You nearly scared me to death!” 

“He’s gone then?” Jamie asked, moving closer to them. “Frank?” 

“Yes,” Claire nodded, “He’s gone. How did you...?” 

“Fergus,” Jamie motioned to his son, “Called me and told me that a man named Frank was here, asked me to come quickly, said it was an emergency so I came as soon as I could.” 

“You looked scared,” Fergus explained at Claire’s questioning look. “And he was scary, he was shouting at you, so I called Papa…” 

“Ye did the right thing, mo mhac,” Jamie assured Fergus, “You did good callin’ me, I’m proud o’ ye.” 

Fergus’s shoulders squared and his chest puffed with his father’s praise. 

Jamie stepped forward and wrapped Claire in a hug, “Are ye all right? He didna hurt ye, did he? If he did…”

“No, no, nothing like that,” Claire squeezed him, “He was just telling me in person that he was contesting the divorce.” 

“How did he ken where ye lived?” 

“I’m not sure,” Claire answered honestly, causing Jamie to frown, “I think he got the information from a friend,”

“I have friends too, I’ll call the police and have a patrol set up to keep an eye ye and–”

“That’s not necessary,” Claire interrupted, pulling back to look at him, “Frank wouldn’t do anything. He may be… scary but he’s not stupid or crazy. He won’t try anything.”

“That’s worse, mo chridhe, a smart man can do more damage than a crazy one. Ye describin’ him as scary doesna make me feel better about the situation.”

“He has connections, Jamie, there’s no telling who’s in his pocket.” Claire protested. 

“I guarantee he doesna have connections here, ‘tis a small community, Sassenach, everybody kens everybody, the people here have no’ strayed further than Edinburgh– Frank is no one here.” He placed a kiss on her forehead, “Let me handle this, aye?”

Claire could only nod in response. 

And with her consent, Jamie sprang into action. 

He pulled out his phone and began a walk-through of the property, assessing the security risks, muttering into his speaker with any points that concerned him. Not long after his third walk-through, Murtagh arrived with several large plastic bags from the local hardware store. Murtagh emptied the contents– various boxes of screws, latches, doorknobs, and locks– to show Jamie who nodded and gave a grunt of approval. 

Murtagh responded with his own grunt, similar to Jamie’s but slightly lower in pitch. 

How the two men managed to have a conversation with only grunts and gestures was beyond Claire, though she found it absolutely adorable when Fergus began copying the sounds of his idols. He wasn’t quite there yet, too breathy and high-pitched, but with practice, he’d soon match his father in eloquence and style. If a grunt could be eloquent. Claire assumed it could as Murtagh began work on changing all the locks while Jamie installed a security system. 

“Isn’t this a bit much?” Claire asked, looking up at Jamie as he screwed a camera to the living room wall.

“Not at all!” Jamie insisted, not bothering to look away from his work. “It’ll keep ye safe, provide peace o’ mind, and if Frank shows up here again ye’ll have it on camera and it’ll help yer case against him. Besides, I’m no particularly thrilled with him threatenin’ ye or him bein’ near Fergus.”

“Jamie,” Claire started, pausing to gather her thoughts, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for Fergus to be caught up in any of this. I would never do anything if I thought Fergus would get hurt, please, believe me I-”

“Claire, ye have nothin’ to apologize for,'' Jamie said, finally turning to look down at her, “It wasna yer fault, never apologize for Frank, ye did nothing wrong. The only mistake ye made was marrin’ him and even then no one can fault ye ‘cause even snakes can be charmin’ at first.” 

“You mean that?” 

“Aye,” he nodded, “I do.” 

She reached up and placed a grateful hand on his the side of his thigh, smiling to let him know just how much his words meant to her. He still trusted her with Fergus, which was of utmost importance to Claire for their relationship would cease the moment he stopped. 

“I was thinking of ordering pizza,” she told him, retracting her arm to wrap around herself, “How does that sound?”

“Mmm, that sounds delicious,” Jamie said, running a hand over his stomach that had started to rumble, “I dinna think I've eaten since breakfast.” 

“We really need to work on getting you three square meals a day, can’t have you dying on me from hunger,” she smiled, “I’m serious, Jamie,” she added when he began to laugh, swatting his leg for good measure. 

“What do you want on it?” she asked when his laughter died down. 

“Can never go wrong wi’ meat lovers,” he said, “But order an extra one wi’ ham, bacon, and olives plus extra cheese, Fergus doesna like pepperoni or sausage.” 

“Your son has the weirdest tastes,” Claire said, grabbing her phone off the coffee table. “He won’t eat pepperoni but he likes olives?”

“He loves them! He used to put the big ones on his wee fingers when he was a bairn like fingernails and would just suck them right off– still does if ye dinna stop him.” 

Claire chuckled and turned to find the lad they were discussing crouched by the front door with Murtagh as ‘they’ installed the Ring doorbell and new locks. Murtagh was doing most of the work, grunting, and mumbling as he focused on his task, occasionally asking for a tool which Fergus promptly handed him. Every minute or so Fergus would ask a question, if Murtagh was annoyed he didn’t show it, instead, answering each one of Fergus’s inquiries with an in-depth answer, if satisfied, Fergus would go back to humming to himself and kicking his legs under the chair he was sitting on. 

“Pizza for dinner good?” Claire asked them, her thumb hovering over the call button. 

“Yes!” Fergus shouted excitedly. 

“Thanks,” Murtagh muttered with a nod. 

And with all-around approval, Claire ordered their dinner. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter came out differently than I had planned, it was supposed to end with Claire and Jamie having an in-depth conversation on their past but I've moved it to the next chapter. Frank won't make another physical appearance for a little while but now that's he here he won't be ignored, he'll make sure of that. 
> 
> Thanks again for reading and reviewing guys, it means a lot to me that you take the time to support me as you guys do. I really appreciate it! As always, stay safe out there!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to my new beta albatross1013, truly amazing and I'm so thankful for the help.

"You really didn't have to do all this," Claire said, relaxing into the kitchen chair behind her. 

"Aye, but I did," Jamie responded with a smile, reaching over to take her hand in his.

The cardboard box of their dinner was placed before them on the table, empty and full of used napkins. Murtagh had left an hour ago after having his fill of pizza, bidding Jamie and Fergus farewell and reassuring Claire that he was pleased he could help. Jamie and Claire were still at the dining table as Fergus snoozed quietly on the couch, leaving them alone to talk and sip on their beers. 

"You're amazing, you know that?" Claire told him, leaning against her open palm. "I don't know how many men would drop everything for a girl they've barely dated– barely known." 

Jamie chuckled, "Yer no just any girl, Sassenach, there's somethin' here, a connection, ye said ye felt it too." 

"I do," Claire nodded. 

"I dinna mind doin' it, Claire, truly," he said, "I just want ye to be safe, hell, I'd do more if ye would let me. Why are ye so sure Frank willna do anythin'?"

"He's… made threats before," she started, pausing when she saw Jamie's body tense, she wondered just how truthful she should be. She didn't want to lie but she also didn't want to set him off again, "But he's never acted on them, never! They've always been idle, you know? He's never actually done anything to hurt me, besides the affairs, of course." 

Jamie nodded, his face completely stoic except for his darkened eyes, "He shouldna have done that either, he's no a real man as far as I'm concerned. A real man doesna threaten or hurt a woman–verbally or physically. He's an arsehole." 

"See? Amazing," Clarie hummed happily despite the subject. She didn't know why, but it gave her tremendous joy to hear Jamie say such things. "A true gentleman." she held up her beer in salute. 

Jamie chuckled, "If I was any other way my Da would rise from the dead to tan my hide, I guarantee it. He was very proper, old-fashioned when it came to lasses. 'If ye canna treat a lass properly or respect her truly, then ye have no business bein' wi' her', he used to say."

"My God, Jamie, your father sounds like he was an amazing man." 

"Aye, he was," Jamie smiled sadly, "He passed a few years ago, right before the adoption went through. He only met Fergus once but he loved the lad, told me he was a fine addition and he couldna have been happier; Fergus was no less his grandson than Wee Jamie. They were the same to him." 

Claire squeezed Jamie's hand in support as he continued.

"He died o' a stroke, he was only fifty– barely that, mind ye. I was in Paris wi' Ned finalizin' the adoption when it happened. I always regretted no bein' there to say goodbye. Breaks my heart that Fergus will never get to ken his grandda." 

"He has Murtagh, and your mother, and Jenny and just about the whole Fraser-MacKenzie clan," Claire pointed out, "I've never seen a family so connected. Even when your mother was about to bash Colum and Dougal's heads in, I could tell she loved them." 

Jamie finished off his beer before reaching across the table for another, "Ye canna choose yer family, and ye canna help but love them either." 

"I adored Uncle Lamb, he was the only family I ever had, well, the only one I remember anyways–until Frank, that is; though Lamb wasn't too fond of him. He knew Frank professionally before we started dating, Frank used him as a consultant for his book, that's how we met, he was so…" Claire closed her eyes with the memories, "Disappointed when we married, he never said anything, but I could tell he was. I never should have married that man." 

"Maybe no but then ye wouldna be here, Sassenach, we never would have met. Ye wouldna have become Fergus's teacher," Jamie's eyes flicked from Claire to his son, making sure the boy was still asleep before looking back at Claire, "So for that, I'm grateful." 

"I guess everything has a silver lining," she opened her eyes and smiled at him, glad Fergus had called him when he did. 

She wasn't too worried about Frank's vague threats to her. He'd made them before and nothing had ever come of them. She didn't, however, appreciate the way he treated Fergus, his looks and words were absolutely despicable and ill-suited for such a perfectly wonderful little boy. In the brief time she had been his teacher and his father's romantic partner, Fergus had already stolen her heart. She'd do anything to protect him. 

For the first time, Claire was glad she'd lost the baby. She couldn't imagine raising a child with a man who treated children so poorly. He wasn't a man, she decided, he was a slimy, abrasive prick who deserved whatever sexually transmitted disease he may get from sleeping around. One of the lowest points of their marriage, rousing her suspicions of affairs, was him whining loudly from the bathroom about his painful and burning urination; he claimed he'd gotten it from a toilet seat. For a professor and researcher, he was terrible at science.

"Aye…" Jamie drawled out, his voice deepening as his eyes zoned in on her full lips. "Claire–"

"You don't have to ask," she said, interrupting him and throwing herself into his embrace. Her hands wound around his neck as he gently pulled her onto his lap, gripping the back of her thighs. She straddled him, their lips mingling in assault as they pressed their bodies against each other. Claire made sure to keep their lips interlocked as much as possible to stifle the moans and gasps escaping them. The last thing Claire wanted was for Fergus to walk in and see them like this. He was mature for his age, but Claire doubted he'd yet to learn the birds and bees. And she would  _ not  _ be in the inducer of that conversation. 

But she had no desire to stop their actions. 

They continued for several more minutes, their hands and lips exploring wherever they could. Claire finally pulled away when she felt the burgeoning signs of his arousal. Her hands rested on his shoulders for support as she tried in vain to catch her breath. Jamie was no better, he was heaving and Claire could feel his pulse under her fingertips. 

"I'm sorry, Jamie," she whispered, "I'm just not ready for that and Ned said it would complicate the divorce if–"

He silenced her with a chaste kiss, "Ye never have to explain yerself to me, Claire, I'll never ask ye to tell me anythin' or do anythin' ye dinna want to do; a no is all I need." 

"Have I told you how amazing you are?" 

He grinned, "Once or twice," he shifted her body so she wasn't sitting directly on his crotch, the heat still making a certain part of his anatomy well-known, "It's late, we should be goin'."

"You're kidding, right?" Claire asked in surprise. She turned in his grasp and motioned to the many empty beer canisters on the table, most of which belonged to him, "You're not driving anywhere tonight, especially with Fergus."

"I wasn't goin' to drive, Sassenach, I ken better than that. I'm goin' to order a car,"

"There's no need," she lifted herself from his lap, "The couch pulls out, you can sleep there, besides, Fergus is already fast asleep, no point in moving him now." 

"Aye… I suppose yer right, I always have gym clothes in my car, I can sleep in those."

"Good, you go and change while I get you some linens, unless, you're too drunk to get to your car?"

Jamie smiled, "Och, Claire," he made a show of standing from his chair and taking the few steps to close the distance between them, "Yer no drunk if ye can stand and well," he motioned to himself, "I'm standin'." 

"Cheeky bastard," she smiled at him, swatting at his chest when he leaned down to kiss her, "Go and get dressed before I change my mind,"

"All right, all right," he said, turning away from her and angling himself towards the door, he made it halfway before tripping on his own feet, catching himself on the wall and causing a loud laugh to erupt from Claire. 

It wasn't long before he lay awake on the couch properly dressed with sheets and blankets and with Fergus right up against him. He was exhausted, barely able to keep his eyes open but unable to sleep. Claire being so close to him seemed to have a profound effect on him especially after their actions from earlier. His body had betrayed him, more than ready to take that leap while his brain was completely unprepared. 

Thankfully, he could use her refusals as cover to hide his uneasiness about the manner.

He wanted her, of course he did, but he didn't want to risk anything harming their already delicate relationship. He wouldn't be able to stand it if she parted from him. The fact that it had been ages since his last sexual encounter didn't help either.

For now, and for whatever reasons, they could take it physically slow. And he was perfectly content with that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another chapter that provides much-needed fluff for our lovebirds and backstory information. Per your so many wishes, I've already changed the course of the story so Frank is as nasty as ever! I know you guys will love it and the justice he (eventually) receives. 
> 
> This story will not contain any NSFW scenes because frankly, I don't know how to write them. I'm focusing more on the emotional, mental and non-sexual physical intimacy of their relationship which I believe fits wonderfully within the content of this story.
> 
> Thanks so much for all your support, reads, and comments! They do truly mean a lot to me. Stay safe everyone!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said once a week but I've been wrapped up in work and gained a ton of momentum for my other story "Gods and Monsters"– check it out if you haven't– so it took me a bit to get back to this one. 
> 
> Compared to the other chapters this one is really short, but hopefully very sweet. We explore Murtagh's past with a bit more bonding time for Claire, Fergus, and Jamie. 
> 
> This chapter is unbetaed, so any mistakes are my own. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Claire watched from the doorway a cup of coffee held tightly in her hands as Jamie and Fergus slept soundlessly on the pullout couch. Fergus’ broken arm had taken up the majority of the bed, pushing its owner into the side of his father, making Jamie hover precariously over the edge. Jamie seemed used to it as one arm was wrapped around Fergus, holding him close while the knuckle of his other hand grazed lightly against the carpet underneath. 

They were adorable. 

Claire fished her phone from her pocket and took a picture, saving it to her phone and sending a copy to Jamie. It was then she noticed that Jamie’s shirt had ridden up in the night, giving Claire a perfect view of his wonderfully toned back and the beginning of his arse. The man was magnificent. 

And all hers, Claire hummed at the realization. 

Jamie was as much hers and she was his, and he’d made it perfectly clear the night before that she was his. His to protect and to care for, even though she insisted she could take of herself, Claire appreciated the gesture. No one had gone to such lengths to make her feel safe since Uncle Lamb checked under her cots for monsters every night when she was a child. 

She loved it.

She left the pair still sleeping in the living room as she took inventory of the refrigerator and cupboards, there wasn’t much she could use to throw together a suitable breakfast. She would have to do some serious grocery shopping if they were going to be over again, she doubted Jamie would be willing to live off takeout and Fergus needed something other than unhealthy fats and carbs to grow.

She would go this afternoon, she decided, after Jamie and Fergus left for the day, though Claire didn’t know when that would be.

In the meantime, granola bars and milk would have to do for breakfast.

Claire had just finished opening the new box when Fergus walked into the kitchen, hair mused from sleep and his eyes weary. He stood where the carpet met tile and blinked rapidly, turning his head to get an understanding of his surroundings. It wasn’t until his eyes landed on her that he seemed to remember where he was, his mouth bursting into a grin.

“Good morning, Claire!” 

“Good morning!” she returned his smile, “Did you sleep well?”

“Oui,” Fergus said, breaking into a yawn, “very much so.”

“I’m glad, though I’m sorry you had to sleep in your clothes, last night was completely unplanned,” she explained, “it couldn’t have been very comfortable.” 

“I don’t mind,” Fergus said with a shrug, “it wasn’t that bad.” he smacked his mouth after another yawn.

“Here,” Claire placed the box of granola onto the counter, “I have an extra toothbrush in the loo, brush your teeth and you can have something to eat.” She led Fergus into the bathroom, past the sleeping Jamie, and dug through the box under the sink for the toothbrush. She found it moments later, handing the packaged purple toothbrush to Fergus and pointing to the tube of toothpaste resting on the porcelain sink. 

“I like purple!” Fergus said, carefully opening the plastic to grasp the purple handle. 

“I know you do,” Claire smiled at him, “you like green and blue as well.” 

“I do,” Fergus nodded in confirmation, wetting his toothbrush before placing a dollop of paste onto the bristles. 

“Let me know if you need anything, okay?” 

Claire heard a muffled ‘thanks’ as Fergus shoved the brush into his mouth and Claire shut the door behind her, leaving Fergus to his own devices. She peeked into the living room as she passed, Jamie, now free to move around, had rolled onto his back. She watched as his arm moved to cover his eyes following a loan groan, he was finally waking, and with how much he had to drink the night before Claire was sure he’d be dealing with a massive hangover. 

She walked back into the kitchen, grabbing the white bottle of ibuprofen from the cabinet. She placed two tablets into her palm and grabbed a bottle of cold water from the refrigerator before walking back to the living room. 

“Here, take these,” she spoke softly, holding out her open palm and the bottle for him to take. 

Jamie’s eyes squinted open, immediately shutting once more when the beam of light hit his corneas, “Sassenach, can ye close the blinds please?” 

“You know, for a Scotsman, you don’t hold your liquor too well,” she said, not moving. 

He scoffed and sat up slowly, patting the space next to him so she could sit, “I hold my liquor just fine, I’ll have ye ken I just dinna normally drink with a beautiful woman,” he said as Claire sat next to him.

“I’d beg to differ,” she handed him the medicine and water, “you almost landed on your face last night and you’re hungover.” 

“Ye should have kent me when I was young,” he started, tilting his head to swallow the pills and water, “I could drink anyone under the table, except Murtagh, that man inhales whiskey like air.” 

“Murtagh isn’t a single father to a little boy either,” Claire reasoned, “wait, I don’t even know if Murtagh has children, does he?” 

“None of his own,” Jamie said, shaking his head, “He said he was always busy chasin’ around the Frasers to have his own, first me and my siblings, then our children, and then when he married my Aunty he became a stepfather. I dinna think it ever occurred to him that any of us weren’t really his, ye ken? He always looked out for us and treated us like we were.”

Claire nodded, “He didn’t really need to have one of his own with all of you, makes sense. He married your aunt?” 

“Aye, my Aunty Jocasta, my Mam’s younger sister, they’ve been married for about… six years, I think.”

“Jocasta MacKenzie,” Claire said, trying out the name. 

“Jocasta Isobeail MacKenzie Cameron Fitzgibbons,” Jamie corrected with a smile.

“Jesus,” Claire shook her head with a laugh, “what is with all these long names?” 

“Tradition,”

“Fergus’ is rather short for the family then, isn’t it?” 

Jamie shrugged, “Fergus is perfect the way he is, I never felt the need to add more.” 

“That he is…” Claire trailed off, her eyes zoning in on his full lips. 

“I have mornin’ breath, I’ve yet to brush,” Jamie reminded her as she ducked her head toward him.

“I don’t care,” she told him, finally locking their lips together. He set the water bottle onto the floor and decided to curl his fingers in her hair instead. Their lips moved effortlessly together, their hands roamed and the sounds from Claire’s mouth were shooting down to his core, making him hum in pleasure. 

They froze, lips millimeters apart, as the mattress behind them shifted with an unknown weight and two arms, one covered in plaster, wrapped around their individual necks. 

“Can we eat now?” Fergus spoke, pushing himself between the two, forcing them apart. Claire turned her face to hide her blush while Jamie gave Fergus an annoyed look, “What?” Fergus asked, innocently unaware of the moment he just interrupted, “I’m hungry.” he added at his father’s look. 

“I suppose so…” Jamie grumbled, shooting an apologetic glance in Claire’s direction. 

Claire cleared her throat, finally able to look at the boy still hanging onto her, “Granola and milk okay?”

“Oui,” Fergus said with a nod, “is it chocolate flavored?”

“You know what, I think it is, and original too,” Claire told him, “with lots of protein and fiber.” She stood from the bed and held out her hand for Fergus, “Let’s give your Papa some time to wake up, hm? I’ll let you have the first pick.”

Fergus, ignoring her outstretched hand, shot off into the kitchen to avoid getting stuck with the plain granola. 

“I’ll make you some coffee,” Claire told him, placing a single kiss on Jamie’s forehead before following Fergus into the kitchen. 

Jamie waited a few seconds, willing the butterflies in his stomach to go away before standing slowly and beginning to prepare for the day. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be posted sooner and be longer, I promise! Thanks for sticking with me.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told you guys I'd have another longer chapter up quickly and I'm happy to deliver!

“Ten more minutes, class,” Claire said from her position at the front of the room. Some of the students picked up their pace, pencils scribbling on the paper in front of them while others shrugged in defeat. It was the first test of her career. Well, not a test per se, Claire vowed not to be one of those teachers who based their students’ grades on arbitrary tests. Instead, she posed it as a way to understand what was working. In the small packet were the various subjects they’d covered throughout the first couple months of the semester, starting from basic addition to time telling and their recent studies of the solar system. 

The students were graded on participation only, Claire wanted to see what information had stuck with the children and what needed to be reinforced. As long as they filled something on the paper out, they would pass. She had made it clear as she handed out the sheets that they shouldn’t feel rushed, she wanted them to take their time and think. If they didn’t know it, skip it and move on, they could go back later. 

Claire watched from her standing position in front of the board as Fergus once again looked up from his paper, his eyes trailing around the room before landing on her, giving her a quick smile before returning to the task at hand. He’d been giving her looks all week, small smiles and waves when he thought no one else was looking– she returned them, of course. She didn’t want him to feel that things had changed despite the obvious fact that they had. 

He was discrete, thank God, Fergus hadn’t slipped and called her Claire as she feared, he was as polite and studious as ever, if only a bit more clingy. Now, he preferred to stay right by her side at pickup instead of mingling with his friends. At recess, he would stick with his own group made of his cousins and Marsali, making no effort to include the other children. It was a subtle change that spoke more to her as a psychologist than it did as a teacher so for now, she let it be. 

“Times up!” she announced, clapping her hands together to garner their attention. “Everyone, please make sure your names are on your paper and pass them forward to the person in front of you.”

She walked down the front row of students, taking the small stack of papers from each one before returning them to her desk to look over later.

“All right, time for our next lesson, the elements of storytelling.”

The lesson went by quickly, it was just the basics and Claire was happy to find the lesson was understood quickly by her students. They were a brilliant bunch, just slightly unfocused due to various educational needs but in the end, they reached their goal. By break, all of the children were able to accurately describe who, what, where, when, and why. After lunch, they would be applying what they learned to a short story, applying verbal understanding to hands-on. 

Claire retreated to the teacher’s lounge long enough to get a soda out of the vending machine before plopping down at her desk with her sandwich and crisps to grade the packets. She was able to multitask sufficiently, correcting answers while eating, but a certain packet had her completely consumed. 

“I can’t believe it…” Claire trailed off, staring dumbfoundingly at the name listed on the paper. 

Fergus Fraser had only gotten three correct– three out of twenty. 

It didn’t make any sense. 

Claire stared down at his written name, almost willing it to suddenly change and have her questions be answered by such a silly mistake. She went through the packet again, hoping she’d incorrectly graded one of his answers incorrectly but she hadn’t. If this had been a proper test, Fergus would have failed, and so far, he would have been the only one. The lowest mark besides Fergus’ was fifteen. 

As the students trickled in from their lunch– Fergus rushing to his desk with an uneaten cookie in his hand– Claire had yet to move on. She shoved the packets into her desk drawer, throwing away her half-full bag of crisps and a quarter of her sandwich. She took a moment, remaining seated at her desk, trying to think of the proper ways to handle this. Fergus would certainly have to be talked to, Jamie as well, they needed to figure out what had happened. Why Fergus had performed so terribly. 

“Mrs. Beauchamp?” Annabelle asked, looking at Claire expectedly. “Are we going to read now?” 

“What? Yes, oh, yes!” Claire hastily stood from her chair and picked up the picture book on her desk. The cover was navy blue with a green frog sitting front and center. “Today, we’re going to be reading about Andy the Bullfrog.” Claire read the book twice, instructing the students to take notes on what they believed to fit into the five W’s. 

They had only managed to get to ‘where’ before Claire had to shut the book and get everyone ready for pickup. They walked outside, a line of parents were already waiting eagerly for the children. Jamie was easy to spot, he was the tallest parent present, his bright red hair not doing him any favors in hiding. She held Fergus back before he could rush to his father, wanting Jamie to come to them. 

It didn’t take long for Jamie to get the silent message. After a few minutes without a child barreling into him, he walked slowly through the crowd of children, stopping feet away from where Claire was standing with her hand on Fergus’ shoulder.

“Fergus?” Jamie asked his son, looking at the boy and Claire questioningly. “What happened? Is everythin’ okay?”

“We need to talk,” Claire said, motioning with her head for Jamie to follow her into the school. Jamie did as she asked, walking behind Claire and Fergus as they made their way back to the classroom. Once inside, Claire quietly told Fergus to go back to his desk and start his homework, the boy did so without question. 

“Sassenach? What’s goin’ on?” Jamie asked again.

“I need to show you something,” Claire said, beckoning Jamie toward her desk. She dug Fergus’ packet out of the pile and handed it to Jamie. “I had them fill this out this morning, a way for me to tell what had sunk in and what needed more attention. Fergus… well, he only got three correct.” 

Claire watched as Jamie flipped through the papers, sighing defeat when he realized Claire was right.

“I dinna understand,” Jamie said, “I went over all this wi’ him. We spent an hour practicing subtraction, I remember because we had to miss shinty.” 

“Honestly, neither do I,” Claire said, folding her arms and shaking her head. “He turns in all his assignments and I rarely have to mark them, I’ve seen him complete worksheets during class, I know he knows the material but for some reason, he failed to show it.” 

Jamie looked away from the paper to Fergus before asking, “What can we do?” 

“My best guess is test anxiety, I made it clear that they’re getting participation points only but maybe the environment was too much for him.” 

“Fergus,” Jamie called, waving Fergus over. “What happened, laddie? Why did ye get so many wrong? I ken ye ken the answers.”

Fergus looked from his father to Claire, his mouth opening several times but no words came out. 

“Fergus, you’re not in trouble,” Claire assured. “We just want to know what happened.” 

“I couldn’t concentrate,” Fergus said with a sigh, “there were too many people, they were distracting! The pencils on paper, sniffling and someone was grinding their teeth, I could hear it!” 

“Fergus,” Claire kneeled down to be eye-level with Fergus, “when you hear these things, do they make you want to do something? Maybe hurt yourself?” 

Jamie opened his mouth to stop the line of questioning, glaring at Claire but she shut him down with a look, begging him not to interrupt. 

“Sometimes…” Fergus began in a whisper, “I clench my nails into my palms and it helps.” 

“Fergus,” Claire said, smiling softly and wrapping him into a hug. Fergus returned it, immediately digging his face into her shoulder as Claire stroked his back comfortingly. After a few moments, she broke away slowly, “Why don’t you go back to your desk? I want to speak with your dad for a second.” 

Fergus nodded and did as he was told, sparing one last look at his father before retreating back.

“Claire–” Jamie began, completely lost for words.

“It's not test anxiety, it's misophonia,” she answered his unasked question, “it’s often a comorbidity with ADHD. The sounds and motions that bother him are called triggers, when he’s exposed, they give him a sense of anxiety, sort of like his body going to fight or flight mode except he’s stuck. He’s hurting himself with his nails to distract himself against the triggers.” 

“It was a quiet environment, no noise except for those triggers, he was unable to focus and had limited resources to distract himself, it’s a wonder he finished at all. He’s always done terribly on tests, hasn’t he? That was in his file.”

“Aye, he has,” Jamie said with a nod, “though no one has really tried to find out why.” 

“It’s not really understood, not really a worldwide concept yet.” 

“What can we do? He canna spend his whole life being bothered by wee sounds.” 

“There’s not much we can do, Jamie,” Claire told him, “it can go away on its own or be lifelong. Creating quiet environments away from triggers can help as well as teaching better ways to cope. I’ll speak to Colum and see if there’s an area in the school designated for students who need extra time or a special environment for tests, if not, we need one. Has he ever been to see a therapist?” 

“No' really,” Jamie said, “he was diagnosed with ADHD by his pediatrician. Ye’re a psychologist, aren’t ye? Why can ye no talk to him?” 

“For many reasons, Jamie,” Claire said with a sigh, “I’m not a child psychologist, my specialty is more focused on adults. Plus, our relationship,” she waved at the space between them, “it would be highly inappropriate. The same reasons doctors can’t operate on their family members, it’s a conflict of interest.” 

“I guess that makes sense,” Jamie agreed, “so what do ye suggest?”

“Get him an appointment with a psychologist, I can ask Geillis if she knows anyone, the school might even have one on hand.”

“Thank ye, Claire,” Jamie said with a sad smile, turning away from her to look at Fergus who was working quietly on his homework. “He already has so many labels, ye ken? Being adopted, having ADHD, impossibly difficult– why another one? Why my son?” 

Jamie's face was heartbreaking, it made Claire want to lurch forward and crush him into a hug, reassure him that everything would be okay, instead, she could only use words to comfort.

“Sometimes,” Claire began, reaching out and placing a solitary hand on Jamie’s bicep, “the strongest ones have the most crosses to bear.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, so misophonia is a real thing for those of you who don't know about it. I have it and so do my sister and niece. It makes concentrating extremely hard and it's not just something you can ignore or get it over. The triggers can be sounds or physical motions– like someone tapping or bouncing their legs. It creates a sense of anxiety that can be completely overwhelming. I did what Fergus did at school, dig my nails into my palm to try and distract myself away from the trigger– definitely not ideal but it worked at the time. My niece, the same one with ADHD, carries noise-canceling headphones wherever she goes in case she needs an escape and it becomes too overwhelming. Exposure therapy can help but it can also backfire– I didn't do so well with it and my sister refuses to put my niece through it. 
> 
> I'm sorry the chapter ended on a sort of sad note–I'll make the next chapter extra fluffy– but I feel it's a real defining moment between Claire and Jamie. Another moment where they have to face the reality of their positions, there's only so much Claire can do for Fergus and there's so much about his own son that Jamie doesn't understand. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Stay safe out there.


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